Integrating environmental dimensions in Africa’s peace, security, and development strategies

The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) emphasized the need to incorporate environmental and climatic aspects, including agricultural adaptation, into strategies aimed at fostering peace, security, and development in Africa.

In a statement issued on Saturday following its meeting held on March 6 under Morocco’s presidency, the PSC addressed “Climate Change: Challenges to Peace and Security in Africa.” The Council advocates for investments to implement relevant African initiatives for adapting African agriculture, as well as projects focusing on the sustainability of natural resources, human resource stability, institutional resource security, and other development areas, such as environmental sustainability.

The PSC also called for enhanced cooperation between African stakeholders and international partners to address climate-related challenges, emphasizing the need for African-led solutions, particularly in education and youth employment. Furthermore, the Council stressed the importance of improving research and data collection in Africa, formulating a common African stance on the link between climate change, peace, and security, and establishing a collaborative framework for climate change, peace, and security initiatives.

Additionally, the PSC underlined the necessity of strengthening climate governance by improving climate security capacities, ensuring inclusivity, focusing on marginalized groups, combating gender-based violence, and integrating climate conflict indicators into early warning systems.

In this regard, the PSC highlighted the importance of enhancing knowledge among various stakeholders, particularly by strengthening civil society capacities, utilizing indigenous and traditional knowledge, and ensuring inclusive data collection for this purpose.

The PSC also requested the AU Commission to support and reinforce its collaboration with initiatives aimed at strengthening Africa’s capacity to anticipate, prevent, and effectively manage climate change challenges. Notable initiatives include the African Agricultural Adaptation Initiative (AAA), the Africa Security, Stability, and Sustainability Initiative (SSS), and the three climate commissions: the Sahel Commission, the Small Island States Commission, and the Congo Basin Commission.

The PSC also urged the AU Commission, in collaboration with partners, to mobilize the necessary funds to strengthen the continent's capacity to anticipate, prevent, and manage climate change challenges.