At the 1331st meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council in an open session on Climate Change, Peace and Security in Africa, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of UNOAU, warned that climate change is no longer a distant risk and is already driving instability across the continent.
Addressing the AUPSC under the February 2026 Chairpersonship of Ambassador Dr. Obaida Eldandarawy, Permanent Representative of Egypt to the African Union, the SRSG underscored the stark injustice at the heart of the crisis: Africa is the least responsible for global emissions yet is among the most affected. He pointed to the devastating impacts of recent climatic events, including cyclone Gezani, and cited President Chapo of Mozambique’s call for urgent support as communities face escalating losses while adaptation plans remain underfunded.
A worsening trajectory and rising security risks
The SRSG cautioned that Africa is entering a period of climate overshoot. He noted that the World Meteorological Organization confirms that 2023, 2024 and 2025 were the hottest years ever recorded, with projections indicating a 70 percent likelihood that the 2025 to 2029 mean temperature will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre industrial levels.
He emphasized that climate shocks are intensifying competition over land and water, undermining livelihoods, displacing communities, enabling armed groups to exploit natural resources, and straining already fragile state systems across regions from the Sahel to the Horn, North Africa, the Great Lakes and Southern Africa. He cited estimates that climate induced losses could reach USD 440 billion by 2030 and that up to 105 million Africans could be internally displaced by 2050.
Climate justice as an investment in peace
“The question is no longer whether climate change influences peace and security. It does,” the SRSG said, echoing the Secretary General’s warning that “a world in climate chaos cannot be a world at peace,” and stressing that climate change acts as a threat multiplier. He highlighted that adaptation is now a foundation for stability, peace, security and shared prosperity, and that climate proofing food systems, protecting water resources and accelerating renewable energy can deliver tangible conflict prevention and development dividends.
The SRSG commended the African Union’s leadership, including the African Leaders Addis Ababa Declaration on Climate Change, which recognizes climate change as a conflict risk multiplier and calls for strengthened conflict sensitive adaptation responses. He also welcomed the momentum behind the Common African Position on Climate Change, Peace and Security, describing it as a landmark effort to establish a coherent continental framework and a global precedent.
Delivering results through the UN-AU partnership
Highlighting practical progress, the SRSG pointed to joint action through the Climate Security Mechanism and deployed Climate Peace and Security advisers on the continent. He noted that the UN catalyzed Somalia's access to conflict sensitive climate finance from the Green Climate Fund and continues to assist Chad and South Sudan. He also referenced the first AU led Climate Peace and Security climate finance readiness support programme launched in Cairo, in 2025 and reaffirmed UNOAU’s commitment to continue support in line with AU leadership. He concluded stating that, “The risks are clear. So are the tools, what is needed now is the political will to act collectively and consistently.”
Full remarks: https://unoau.unmissions.org/en/press-releases/srsg-statement-1331st-me…
