Climate Change and Human Mobility in the IGAD Region: A Growing Challenge, A Coordinated Response

1. Regional context climate change and Human mobility

Across the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region, climate change is no longer a distant threat is a daily reality. From prolonged droughts and flash floods to erratic weather patterns, the effects of climate change are displacing millions and placing tremendous strain on already vulnerable communities.

Between 2021 and 2023, the Horn of Africa experienced its worst drought in four decades. Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya were among the hardest-hit countries, with Somalia alone seeing over one million people displaced in 2022 due to severe drought and the resulting loss of food and water sources. During the same period, 4.2 million livestock perished across the IGAD region, highlighting the catastrophic impact on pastoralist communities who rely on livestock for their livelihoods.

According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), by the end of 2023, more than 10.3 million people were internally displaced across East and the Horn of Africa. Of these, at least 1.9 million were forced to move due to climate-related disasters—underscoring the direct link between environmental stressors and human mobility in the region. For instance, in 2023, the IGAD region counted close to 3.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) due to droughts, floods and other extreme weather events.

2. Regional Policy Framework and Progress

In recognition of the escalating crisis, IGAD has taken bold and proactive steps to address climate-induced displacement. In 2023, IGAD adopted the Regional Climate Adaptation Strategy (2023–2030). This strategy provides a comprehensive framework to strengthen the region’s resilience through improved climate information services, early warning systems, and the integration of climate mobility into national adaptation planning.

The other key effort is the IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons (2020), which includes groundbreaking provisions on protecting individuals displaced by climate-related disasters. Article 16 of the Protocol establishes a legal basis for temporary protection, humanitarian admission, and the facilitation of cross-border movement during environmental crises.

IGAD has also updated its Regional Migration Policy Framework, originally developed in 2012, to reflect the growing intersection between climate change and human mobility. Through this framework, the organization supports Member States in developing coherent, rights-based migration policies that account for the environmental dimensions of displacement.

The IGAD Regional Consultative Process (RCP) on migration plays an instrumental role by bringing together governments, technical experts, and partners to exchange best practices and shape coordinated responses to climate-induced mobility. These dialogues have significantly contributed to the development of regional policies and action plans.

A key milestone in this journey was the signing of the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change in July 2022. The declaration marked a strong political commitment from IGAD Member States to address the links between environmental stressors and migration. It called for greater data harmonization, capacity building, and multi-sector coordination to better understand and respond to the growing displacement crisis.

The IGAD Support Platform, launched in 2019 at the Global Refugee Forum, mobilizes international support to implement regional commitments such as the Nairobi Declaration. This platform facilitates collective responses to displacement, including those driven by climate-related events.

To ensure an effective response at borders during climate-related emergencies, IGAD has also initiated the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to manage the movement of affected populations and provide needed protection and assistance.

3. Programme level Enagagements

At the programmatic level, projects like the Regional Migration Fund (RMF) are making a tangible difference in cross-border areas. These initiatives target migrants, refugees, and host communities, particularly along key migration corridors and displacement-prone regions. Under the Strengthening IGAD Migration Policy Implementation (SIMPI), in  Moyale along the Ethiopia-Kenya border, there projects that are delivering emergency assistance, promoting community cohesion, and supporting livelihoods diversification to reduce vulnerability of climate change affected people.

The MoDiaC Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change in the IGAD Region is a major regional program developed and ready for the launch. The project aims to provide actionable insights into the inter-sectionality between climate-induced mobility and disaster management, and enable the MS of IGAD to better respond to current and future challenges related to mobility.

4. Future focus Areas

Recognizing the importance of foresight, IGAD is investing in its Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC)to improve early warning systems and climate forecasting across the region. These efforts are vital to reduce displacement risks, guide emergency planning, and inform long-term adaptation strategies.

At the same time, IGAD is building the capacity of national statistical offices to generate reliable data on displacement and migration trends linked to climate impacts. The Regional Statistical Strategy, endorsed by Member States, ensures consistent and coordinated data collection and reporting across the region.

As climate-induced mobility in the IGAD region is a complex challenge one that sits at the intersection of environment, human rights, development, and regional cooperation. But through strong leadership, regional solidarity, and a growing suite of tools and policies, IGAD is helping Member States move from crisis response toward long-term resilience.

With mounting pressures of the impact of climate-change on human, the IGAD region continues to demonstrate that regional cooperation, grounded in shared responsibility and forward-looking strategies, can be a powerful force in protecting the most vulnerable and securing a sustainable future for all.