The Africa Climate Mobility Initiative: Shaping the Future of Mobility in Africa

Addressing Climate-Forced Displacement & Migration

High-Level Launch Event on margins of UNGA (Virtual Format)

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

3:30 PM ~ 4:30 Addis Ababa 08:30AM ~ 09:30AM (NYT)

H.E. Amira El Fadil Mohammed, African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs (Moderator)

H.E. Hafez Ghanem, World Bank Vice President
H.E. Collen Vixen Kelapile, President of UN Economic and Social Council Mr. António Vitorino, IOM Director General
Mr. Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator
Mr. Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary
Ms. Cristina Duarte, Special Adviser on Africa to UN Secretary-General

Excellences, the Commissioners of the African Union Commission

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

As the late distinguished son of the African soil, Kofi Annan, Former Secretary- General of UN, once said:

“The world is reaching the tipping point beyond which climate change may become irreversible. If this happens, we risk denying present and future generations the right to a healthy and sustainable planet – the whole of humanity stands to lose.”

There is no doubt that the launch of an Africa Climate Mobility Initiative occurs at a very critical time where global solidarity and shared responsibility is no longer a choice but a central philosophy for governance of global affairs.

Africa Climate Mobility Initiative is conceptualized with a view to implement the aspirations of Agenda 2063 and 2030 Agenda which are premised on the recognition of a mutual dependence of environmental, economic and social sustainability.

We are at a tipping point,
We are in the precipice in the history of humanity, We are at precarious phase.

I recognize the good collaboration of the fraternal organisations who, together with the African Union Commission, co-created the initiative we are launching today.

Climate change is without any doubt a surging threat to our existence and co- existence with nature which indiscriminately erodes our sustainability. No continent, no region and no country will be spared – we are all affected.

Congruent with this, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, 6th Assessment Report (2021), revealed alarming facts and figures.

That is why we are calling for transformative action to save lives and livelihoods of the victims of climate forced displacements by integrating solutions into the national and international macroeconomic frameworks that pursue equitable development, interlinkages among conflict, natural disasters and population movement.

AU plays a pivotal role in shaping the global architecture for migration management through Global Compact on Migration, Free Movement Protocol, Migration Policy Framework for Africa, AfCFTA to attain the “Africa We Want”.

Recently, we have been elaborating the African Union Climate Change Strategy that is aims at enhancing coherence in the continent’s approach to addressing climate change.

The AU is also implementing the Blue Economy Strategy which addresses in part issues of climate change and biodiversity conservation while boosting economic development of communities.

I conclude by underscoring that Africa Climate Mobility Initiative is geared towards shaping the future. I therefore call on all partners to embrace this mechanism and provide concerted efforts to shape the resilience of mobile populations against climatic conditions.

I thank you for your kind attention