Nairobi, Kenya — As climate change increasingly contributes to migration and displacement in the East Africa region, there is a pressing demand for actions that build local resilience, prevent displacement, and support the safe movement of climate-affected persons. It is also essential to foster a transition of local economies towards green sectors, ensuring the preservation and creation of sustainable livelihoods. Yet, to date, there have only been a few regional actions to address these needs.

A new evaluation report by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and Axiom M&E explores how the Joint Programme "Addressing Drivers and Facilitating Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in the Contexts of Disasters and Climate Change in the IGAD Region" (or Migration, Disasters and Climate Change, MDCC) sought to address challenges at the crossroad of climate change, disasters, and human mobility. It provides lessons learnt from this initiative, including how it can inform future programming.

This USD 2.15 million programme ran from February 2021 to August 2023, and was implemented by four UN agencies together with regional partners: the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) hosted under the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The programme was implemented in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC). MDCC was one of the first initiatives funded by the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund, which supports the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

The evaluation by MPI and Axiom M&E indicates that MDCC responded to some of the most salient issues in the region, ranging from preparedness for cross-border disaster displacement to improving access to green jobs and sustainable livelihoods. MDCC also provided new data on disaster displacement risks, such as floods and cyclones, to IGAD and its Member States. At the same time, the programme worked with governments in the region to review national and local policies related to climate change, disasters and the green economy to help mainstream human mobility considerations and enhance policy coherence.

MPI and Axiom M&E found that broad engagement with diverse stakeholders proved instrumental in establishing a common understanding of the issues at stake and consolidating local buy-in. In Kenya, for instance, the Turkana County government adapted its development plan to integrate human mobility considerations in the context of disasters, climate change and environmental degradation and even allocated a portion of its budget to these issues. Also, during simulation exercises on cross-border disaster displacement between Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia, MDCC involved a wide range of national and local authorities and civil society actors to promote a holistic approach to developing procedures on admission and stay in disaster contexts.  At the same time, MDCC partners encountered difficulties identifying expertise to support their activities, leading to a series of delays. Mobility restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic and insecurity in target locations also impacted implementation.

The report’s key recommendations emphasize the need to:

• Enhance data and analysis on climate change, disasters, and human mobility to promote evidence-based policies and programmes;
• Engage IGAD Member States to identify areas where further technical and policy support is needed and encourage regional peer learning;
• Invest in more systematic mechanisms to prepare for cross-border displacement;
• Pursue opportunities to scale up interventions in green economy sectors.

While the MDCC programme has responded to pressing needs, more efforts could now be deployed to scale up and replicate what has been learnt since 2021.

For more media enquiries and information, please contact:

Yvonne Ndege
Regional Public Information Officer
IOM Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa
ronairobimcu@iom.int

Noora Makela
Programme Officer
IOM Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa
Nkmakela@iom.int