Climate-Migration Nexus requires "aligned and ambitious mobilisation"

"Portugal is a country that views migration as a determining factor for its development", claimed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, at the closing session for one of the parallel events held alongside the 42nd ordinary session of the African Union’s Executive Council, session focusing on the Climate-Migration nexus, co-hosted by Portugal, Mozambique, Kenya, the African Union Commission and the International Migration Organisation and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

"It is therefore not surprising that Portugal, as the other co-hosts, sees the fight against climate change and promoting safe, orderly and regular mobility as one of the two priority wishes naturally, which are fully compatible and interconnected", said the Minister.

João Gomes Cravinho also said that "Portugal is committed to this new nexus and, inherently, the work in each of its components – climate and migration", cautioning, however, hat "only an aligned and ambitious alignment" will be able to match "the magnitude of the challenges and opportunities".

"We need a robust and coordinated effort among all the players", the Minister said, without overlooking that "from a European perspective, I must underline that without our African partners, our partners par excellence, we will never rise up to the challenge".

In his speech, João Gomes Cravinho likewise noted the close ties of proximity between Portugal and the African continent, stressing that "the Portuguese people are close to Africa and understands the advantages that mobility between Europe and Africa can bring, and the African community in Portugal today is quite significant, as well as the Portuguese communities spread throughout the countries on the African continent". 

António Vitorino advocates that the nexus must remain "top of the agenda" 

In turn, the Director-General of the IOM recalled the importance of ensuring "safe, orderly and planned migration", adding that migration "must be a fundamental component of the [climate change] adaptation strategies".

"It is up to us to keep the matter on the top of the agenda", complimenting the African countries for being pioneers and proactive on this level. He underlined the importance of the results achieved at COP27 and reiterated the expectation that this matter could be discussed at COP 28. António Vitorino cautioned, however, that the current level of funding for adaptation is still insufficient.

The representatives of the African Union Commissioners Josefa Sacko and Minata Samaté Cessouma, each one responsible for subjects under the Climate-Migration nexus, recalled the importance of "investing in adaptation, whether for migration or climate change" and "making initiatives on the social and economic level a priority". 

Portugal, Mozambique and Kenya aligned 

This side event also counted on the Mozambican Minister of Earth and Environment Ivete Maibaze, and the Kenyan Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Roselinda Soipan Tuya’s participation.

At a moment when Mozambique is hit by heavy rains, with close to 90 thousand people affected, the Mozambican Minister called for "a better coordination of global efforts" to face the recurrence and unpredictability of climate change, sharing some concrete aspects of the Mozambican authorities’ experience.

The Kenyan Minister believes that despite some trying to present the Climate-Migration nexus as something new, there is "an already significant set of instruments" to respond to the climate-migration nexus. The only thing necessary is the existence of political will to mobilise them in an effective manner.