Statement at the Side Event 'The Greater Horn on the Edge: Visualising Climate Stress and Insecurity'

Thank you and a warm welcome to everyone

We are delighted that you could join us for this important discussion.

The link between weather and conflict is age old. We in the Horn of Africa have many generations of experience in how to navigate conflicts sparked or caused particularly by our search for water and pasture.

In fact, the roots of our major sub-regional organisation for peace and security are in an earlier inter-governmental framework: the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development. That IGADD, with a double 'd', was formed in 1986 by Somalia, Sudan and Uganda to manage the human effects of recurring droughts and other natural disasters.

Long before this present period of modern nation states joining in the endeavour, the peoples of our region negotiated and sustained far-reaching treaties with one another to minimise insecurity due to the competition for resources.

One glance at IGAD's specialised institutions tells the story: Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism; IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center; IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development; IGAD Sheikh Technical Veterinary School.

These exist because in the Horn, climatic variation including unprecedented droughts, record-breaking floods, and swarms of desert locusts intensify competition for water and pasture, and therefore always risk escalating into violent conflict.

The amount of data Horn countries and these specialised institutions have is impressive. Probably far more than other regions.

Mr. Camlus Omogo of CEWARN will touch more on this during his intervention.

What is new therefore is our diagnosis of the acceleration in these damaging weather events in recent years being caused by climate change.

Added to that diagnosis is the framework, resources and priorities of climate change mitigation and adaptation. As reflected in multiple agreements with the main one being the Paris Agreement of 2015.

Our challenge therefore is not just to study weather patterns, it is to: win the confidence of the states in this endeavour by building on their national and regional efforts; engage with communities and particularly in the cooperative frameworks such as Peace Committees that are established at the local level; target climate change adaptation investment from the global, regional and national level to the efforts that are ongoing with the intention to scale impact, and also to identify other adaptation initiatives that can be launched with government, local communities and their existing cooperation frameworks; and to link the existing community of practice on weather and insecurity and local Peacebuilding with new initiatives on climate change research and action.

We also need to grow the body of research, evidence and tools in search of adequate solutions to ensure they are developed with experts, states and institutions in the Horn of Africa where the challenge is most felt.

We must also build on local knowledge and practices that are proven to work will contribute to enhancing the resilience of communities against climate change effects.

In closing, I wish to reaffirm that Kenya will continue to champion advancing the climate and security nexus. As co-chair of the Informal Expert Group on Climate and Security with Norway, we will do the utmost to enable discussions that embrace balance, consensus and ambition.

We will also advocate for the nexus to enjoy a more comprehensive science-policy interface with the work by UNEP, in the hope that it enjoys a consensus that enables clear commitments and actions.

I thank you for your attention and we look forward to hearing from our distinguished panelists.