Regional leaders and experts are meeting in Machakos for a high-level IGAD meeting to tackle one of the region’s biggest challenges: climate and disaster-driven human mobility.
Disaster Risk Management (DRM) experts from IGAD Member States are meeting for three days under the Mobility in the Context of Disaster and Climate Change (MoDiac) initiative.
The move seeks to fortify how governments anticipate, manage and respond to displacement caused by droughts, floods and other climate-related hazards as climate shocks intensify across the Horn of Africa,
The IGAD region remains one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable zones, which is frequently hit by prolonged droughts, flash floods and environmental degradation.
These climate shocks continue to uproot communities, disrupt livelihoods and strain already fragile systems for protection and service delivery.
The Machakos meeting marks a critical moment in efforts to move beyond emergency response toward anticipatory action, early warning and coordinated regional planning.
At the center of the discussions will be how to better integrate human mobility, including displacement, migration and planned relocation, into national disaster risk management and climate adaptation frameworks.
While many IGAD countries have made progress in DRM planning, gaps still persist in addressing mobility risks before crises escalate.
During the meeting, participants will examine the nexus between climate change, disaster risk and mobility; share country experiences; and explore tools for early warning, displacement risk monitoring and anticipatory action.
Sessions will draw on expertise from IGAD institutions, including the Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), alongside partners such as IOM and UNDRR.
A key focus will be firming regional systems like drought, flood and hazard monitoring, and translating climate data into timely decisions that protect lives and livelihoods.
Experts at the significant convention will also work toward practical country-level action points aligned with the IGAD DRM Strategy and the broader MoDiac framework.
Beyond technical discussions, the meeting is set to deepen collaboration among Member States and create a network of DRM focal points to sustain cooperation beyond the workshop.
Kenya is hosting the meeting to reinforce its role as a regional convener on climate resilience and disaster preparedness, bringing together policy, science and practice when coordinated action urgently needed.
The meeting signals a shared recognition: managing mobility risks is now key to building resilience, upholding development gains and protecting most vulnerable communities.
