African youth meet in Kenya over climate mobility

By Xinhua

NAIROBI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) — More than 70 youth from 37 African countries on Wednesday started a two-day meeting in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi to discuss the challenges and good practices of climate-induced mobility as well as opportunities for youth engagement on migration, environment and climate change across the continent. The youth engagement forum which is hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN migration agency, will help the African youth develop key messages for the “Global Youth Statement” to be delivered at the Africa Climate Summit and Africa Climate Week hosted by Kenya and the African Union in Nairobi in September. “IOM is committed to giving young people increased access to platforms and forums that allow them to influence the policy decisions that will affect their future lives and livelihoods,” said Mohammed Abdiker, IOM regional director for East and Horn of Africa, in a statement issued in Nairobi. Abdiker said the youth engagement forum is a precursor to the continental expansion of the Kampala ministerial declaration on migration, environment and climate change (KDMECC), the first regional policy framework that addresses the climate change and human mobility nexus. “We will be integrating the priorities and perspectives that the youth will develop during this forum into the KDMECC and collaborate with them to move the commitments from paper to practice,” he added. KDMECC signed in 2021 highlights commitments by countries in the East and Horn of Africa to address challenges and opportunities for human mobility in the context of climate change and IOM’s commitment to address emerging environmental impacts and degradation by building multilateral partnerships as outlined in its Strategic Vision. The IOM said the forum aims to strengthen the voices of young people on climate mobility and empower young African advocates on climate and migration. Interactive sessions will be held to build the capacity of youth to speak about migration, the environment, and the climate change nexus. These key messages will also give young people a chance to make their voices heard at the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will be held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, in November. Rose Kobusinge, a young climate advocate from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and Youth Convention, YOUNGO, said the youth forum is not only an opportunity for African youth leaders to contribute to policymaking processes but also an avenue to instigate life-changing youth collaboration for local and global action on climate mobility. Kobusinge said vulnerable communities are facing massive climate-related displacements and losses that could be avoided through planned, safe and regular migration and relocation. “Anyone can become a climate migrant today or tomorrow. That is why I push myself to raise awareness on the issues arising from climate change-linked mobility but also the opportunities it brings,” she added. Enditem