SIDE EVENT:
Climate, Peace and Security: African Regional Perspectives and Responses
When: 28 April 2026, 8:30 – 9:45 AM
Format: Panel discussion
Venue: Permanent Mission of Austria, 633 Third Avenue, 18th Floor
On the margins of the New York edition of the Berlin Climate and Security Conference 2026, Austria and Denmark, together with Slovenia, Mozambique and the Climate Security Mechanism, convene a side event to explore how African regional and sub-regional organizations are addressing the growing nexus between climate change, peace and security.
Across Africa, the impacts of climate change—such as drought, flooding and land degradation—are increasingly intensifying existing vulnerabilities, contributing to resource competition, displacement and instability, particularly in fragile regions like the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Lake Chad Basin.
The event highlights the leading role of African institutions, including the African Union, ECOWAS, IGAD and others, in integrating climate-related risks into peace and security frameworks, advancing early warning systems, and promoting regionally owned responses. It will provide a platform to exchange experiences, identify lessons learned and discuss how to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and African regional actors.
By focusing on practical approaches and African-led initiatives, the discussion aims to inform broader policy debates and contribute to the upcoming Berlin Climate and Security Conference, with a view to enhancing coordinated, conflict-sensitive climate action and resilience-building efforts.
Registration: https://austria-un.typeform.com/to/WZPcNf2O