Workshop on climate, peace and security in Central Africa in Ntoum

A capacity-building workshop focusing on climate, peace, and security in Central Africa opened on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, in Ntoum, about forty kilometers from Libreville, the capital of Gabon. Organized by the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) in collaboration with the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), and the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), this event brings together more than thirty participants from UN missions and entities in the subregion, as well as representatives of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), civil society organizations, and technical and financial partners.

In his opening remarks, Abdou Abarry, Special Representative and Head of UNOCA, emphasized the importance of mobilizing participants' creativity and commitment to address the challenges posed by climate change. He recalled Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which calls for urgent action to combat the effects of climate change. Mr. Abarry emphasized the crucial role everyone must play in protecting the environment while fostering lasting peace for future generations.

The UNOCA chief also highlighted the devastating consequences of climate change in Central Africa, a region that, despite its low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, is experiencing impacts such as rising temperatures, torrential rains leading to flooding, and an alarming rise in sea levels in the Gulf of Guinea. He warned that these environmental challenges exacerbate socioeconomic vulnerabilities and aggravate existing security threats, making it imperative to adopt preventive measures and coordinated responses.

The Ntoum workshop aims to formulate concrete proposals and recommendations adapted to subregional realities. Abdou Abarry expressed hope that the discussions will lead to the development of innovative approaches. He welcomed the active collaboration with ECCAS, represented by the Commissioner for the Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development, Honoré Tabuna, who also stressed the importance of cooperation between the two entities.

Mr. Tabuna discussed joint efforts to design a "regional climate-development-resilience strategy" to combat the effects of climate change in Central Africa. He also noted UNOCA's significant support to ECCAS in establishing a "Protocol for Peaceful Transhumance and Pastoral Mobility" in response to the intensification of conflicts related to pastoralism, exacerbated by climate change.

This workshop, which will conclude on Friday, October 4, 2024, represents an important step in raising awareness of the links between climate change, peace and security, and in developing sustainable solutions for Central Africa.

The Emissary