Morocco’s government has called for shared responsibility and action to end displacement related to weather and climate change.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita participated in the first session of the International Dialogue on Migration held by videoconference on Tuesday.
The event from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) covered the theme of “Accelerating integrated action in favor of sustainable development: Migration, environment, and climate change.”
During the event, Bourita emphasized Morocco’s commitment to the fight against climate change and migration challenges.
The official recalled Morocco’s African Agenda on Migration that King Mohammed VI launched in 2018.
The African Union Conference adopted the agenda in January 2018.
The King described the agenda as a “flexible, scalable, and legally non-binding document.”
He also called for the international community to see migration as a “natural phenomenon.”
“We should adopt a positive stance on the issue of migration by highlighting the humanistic rationale of shared responsibility and solidarity.”
Bourita renewed Morocco’s commitment, saying that the agenda is a “flagship vision.”
“There is another growing category of migrants on which all our attention must be focused: That of climate migrants.”
The official called for actions to tackle displacement driven by climate change challenges.
He said that natural disasters and global warming are among the “main triggers” of the new internal displacements in the world.
“The official argued that Africa is particularly affected by climate change,” citing the Sahel region as an example.
He said that the region remains one of the regions of the world that is hit remarkably by climate change.
The official argued that the Sahel is one of the “world’s fastest growing displacements, with nearly 1.6 million internally displaced persons and 365,000 refugees who fled violence, including more than 640,000 in 2020.”
The Sahel region is not only hit by climate change but by other security crises, including terrorism.
Morocco’s government has long warned about the importance of shared responsibility to tackle the security crisis in the region, often described as a “breeding ground for terrorist organizations.”
Bourita said, “The link between climate change, peace, and security in Africa is well established.
“Rising temperatures have increased the risk of conflict by 11% in sub-Saharan Africa since 1980,” Bourita said, emphasizing that if this trend continues, the percentage could reach 54% by 2030.
He said such a phenomenon could cost the lives of 394,000 people due to increasing water stress and the decrease in agricultural land.
“We have not only the responsibility to act, but also the duty to do it quickly to curb displacement linked to climate change and mitigate the causes of natural disasters and environmental degradation,” Bourita said.
Recent data from the UN refugee agency UNHCR said that crises related to weather and climate change caused more than twice as much displacement as violence and conflict in the last decade.
The data shows that disasters due to climate change might worsen hunger, poverty, and access to natural resources.
“We need to invest now in preparedness to mitigate future protection needs and prevent further climate caused displacement,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, earlier this year.
