At the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) in Ethiopia, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is emphasizing the importance of strategically integrating climate-driven migration into Africa’s adaptation and resilience efforts. More than 25,000 delegates, including African leaders and experts, are convening to address urgent climate priorities, with IOM advocating for migration as a tool to transform climate challenges into opportunities for innovation, inclusion, and stronger social cohesion.
Mohammed Abdiker, IOM Chief of Staff, highlighted that climate-induced mobility can enable cities to become hubs of safer livelihoods and community resilience. Africa, responsible for less than 4 percent of global emissions, faces severe impacts from droughts, floods, and environmental degradation, which increasingly displace millions of people across the continent. IOM is urging a shift in perspective, presenting human mobility not as a threat but as a catalyst for adaptation, sustainability, and development.
The summit’s agenda includes high-level discussions with policymakers, partners, and groups like the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change, covering topics from climate policy and regional cooperation to urban adaptation. IOM is collaborating with the governments of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia in ministerial dialogues focused on the intersections of climate, conflict, migration, and cross-border cooperation. Sessions will also address migration’s role in peacebuilding, strengthening displacement preparedness, and promoting meaningful youth engagement in policy processes.
The Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change (KDMECC) will feature prominently, with IOM working alongside African governments to mitigate climate impacts on mobility while fostering sustainable development. Recognizing that climate change exacerbates risks of conflict and displacement in regions like the Sahel, Horn of Africa, and Lake Chad Basin, IOM is calling for an integrated approach that treats climate, mobility, and security as interconnected issues.
IOM Director of Climate Action Rania Sharshr emphasized that managed human mobility can drive both peace and climate-resilient development. The organization is advocating for inclusive climate finance, greater representation of migrants in global forums ahead of COP30, and the leadership of women and youth in resilience-building efforts. By positioning mobility as a driver of innovation and sustainable development, IOM aims to help Africa respond effectively to its growing climate challenges.
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