As part of its engagement in peace and security matters in Africa, SIPRI, in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Kenya office and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), convened a meeting of the Horn of Africa Climate Security Working Group in Addis Ababa. The objective of the meeting was to seek ways to better integrate the risks posed by climate change into peace and security processes in the Horn of Africa region.
Participants in the workshop represented a diverse group of policy, academic and civil society experts from different countries of the Horn of Africa. They discussed new ideas and regional cooperation opportunities related to the issue of climate change and risk.
Furthermore, in cooperation with the Swedish Embassy in Addis Ababa, SIPRI then convened an informal discussion on African Union (AU) responses to climate-related security risks.
Africa is responsible for just 4 per cent of global CO2 emissions, yet 57 per cent of the countries facing the highest burden of climate exposure and political fragility risks are located in sub-Saharan Africa. Since these risks are transnational and pose complex multidimensional situations, climate change creates significant challenges and increases the relevance of intergovernmental organizations’ responses, such as the AU. The discussion was attended by representatives of the AU and UN organizations based in Addis Ababa, as well as diplomats, civil society actors and think tanks.