Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1184^th meeting held on 7 November 2023, on the African Continental Climate Security Risk Assessment Report on Climate Change, Peace and Security Nexus, and the Report of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on the Study on the Nexus between Climate Change, Peace and Security in Africa.

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on the nexus between climate change as well as on the need to expedite the finalisation of a climate-related security risks assessment study, including Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.1079 (2022)] adopted at its 1079^th meeting held on 21 April 2022; and Communique [PSC/MIN/COMM.1114 (2022)] adopted at its 1114^th meeting, held at ministerial level, on 18 October 2022;

Also recalling the Press Statement [PSC/PR/BR.DCCLXXIV] adopted at its 774^th meeting held on 21 May 2018 on “the link between climate change and conflicts in Africa and addressing the security implications”, as well as the Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.1051 (2021)] adopted at its 1051^st meeting held on 26 November 2021, requesting the AU Commission to expedite the finalization of a climate-related security risks assessment study;

Noting the opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Abdi Mahamoud Eybe, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Djibouti to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of November 2023, and the presentations by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security and Dr. Seth Osafo, the Representative of the African Group of Negotiators; and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace, and Security Council:

1. Expresses deep concern over the effects of climate change in Africa, in particular those related to peace and security; and stresses the need for developing and strengthening climate-security capacities and institutions by facilitating the exchange of experience, training and capacity building at the regional, national and local level, in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Africa;

2. Commends the efforts deployed by the AU Commission in conducting the African Continental Climate Security Risk Assessment on Climate Change, Peace and Security Nexus and developing the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on climate change, peace and security nexus, building towards the development of Common African Position on nexus between climate change and peace and security; and expresses appreciation to the partners for their support in the conduct of the study and appeal to them to continue supporting Africa in mitigating climate change impacts on the Continent;

3. Takes Note and welcomes the preliminary findings of the African Continental Climate Security Risk Assessment Report on Climate Change, Peace and Security Nexus, and the Report of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on the Study on the Nexus between Climate Change, Peace and Security in Africa and requests the AU Commission to expeditiously finalize and consolidate the Study and the Report of the Chairperson, taking into consideration the contributions from all AU Member States and Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs), in order to develop a comprehensive report to be submitted to the Council for further consideration;

4. Emphasizes the need to ensure broad inclusivity by involving the most marginalized in decision-making process from policies to projects through programs to empower and enable effective participation and developing leadership skills; especially targeting women, children, youth, people living with disabilities, the elderly, internally displaced persons and refugees and other minority groups in climate change and peace issues;

5. Also emphasizes the importance of investing in risk prevention and resilience building, including better and easier access to finance, investments in absorption capacities and the rapid operationalization of the loss and damage fund; and underscores the need for mobilization of funding to significantly increase climate financing under Africa’s special needs and circumstances, particularly for climate change adaptation and resilience building;

6. Underlines the need for engaging with the private sector and the civil society to build more resilient states and societies by playing a positive role in addressing climate-related security risks;

7. Encourages Member States to ensure sufficient investment in the green transition and enabling equal opportunities for growth and development, as well as developing local value chains for green technologies to better position Africa in the global transition both in terms of innovation and value chains;

8. Reiterates the importance of the AU to continue to provide capacity building support to Member States and the RECs/RMs, in order for them to build the required resilience and to more effectively respond holistically and comprehensively to climate related security threats;

9. Also reiterates the need to develop a Common African Position on Climate Change and a strategy to further strengthen Africa’s voice on the matter and further reiterates the need for mobilizing predictable and sustainable climate financing, including the establishment of an African Climate Fund;

10. Underlines the importance of the AU Commission to strengthen African analysis, research and data collection to provide more contextualized analysis of climate-related security; in this regard, requests the AU Commission to mainstream climate change in all its activities particularly in early warning and prevention of climate change related violent conflicts;

11. Also looks forward to the outcomes of the upcoming the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and requests the AU Commission to present the preliminary findings of the Study during the COP-28 and underscores the need for active participation of the PSC Member States and their support in that regard; and

12. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

COMMENTS