SADC PROGRAMME ON DISPLACEMENT, FRAGILITY MITIGATION, CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Southern African countries are increasingly facing unprecedented pressures arising from situations of multiple fragilities, conflict and violence (FCV) exacerbated by climate change and extreme weather conditions in the form of cyclones, floods, droughts and degradation of biodiversity and ecosystems that lead to the displacement of populations from within and across countries of the region and from countries of nearby regions. Most displaced persons in Southern Africa, as well as globally, are displaced within the borders of their own countries as internally displaced persons (IDPs), but due to regional spillover effects, there is also a significant proportion who cross borders into other countries as refugees, asylum seekers as well as irregular migrants. Nearly all SADC Member States are refugee-hosting countries to varying levels, and most have a long history of hosting refugees spanning decades as displacement has become protracted. Children constitute a significant proportion of displaced and climate-affected populations in the SADC region. Displacement, fragility and climate shocks expose children to heightened risks including family separation, violence, trafficking, child labour, early marriage, psychosocial distress, interrupted education, lack of legal identity, and limited access to essential health and social services. These risks undermine human capital formation, social cohesion and long-term regional stability. The Regional Programme shall therefore adopt a child-centered and rights-based approach that recognizes children not only as vulnerable populations but also as agents of resilience and development. At the first-ever Joint Technical-level Strategic Meeting on Forced Displacement, Fragility Mitigation and Climate Resilience convened by SADC in October 2023 attended by SADC Member States, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) consensus was reached on the need to address these interrelated challenges within a coordinated framework through a SADC-led regional programme. The recommendation from the Technical Committee was subsequently endorsed by three SADC Ministerial Committees during 2024 namely, the Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation; the Committee of Ministers responsible for Disaster Risk Management, and the Committee of Ministers for Environment, Natural Resources and Tourism. This culminated into the SADC Joint Extra Ordinary Ministerial Meeting on Forced Displacement, Fragility Mitigation and Climate Resilience held on 25th June 2025 which approved the establishment of the SADC regional programme to address the nexus of displacement, fragility mitigation, climate resilience and disaster risk management within a coordinated, holistic, integrated and structured regional framework. This demonstrates strong political will and ownership of the Regional Programme by SADC Member States.