The United Nations Climate, Peace and Security Hub for the Horn of Africa is the first regional Hub of its kind and the first implementation of the UN Secretary General’s recommendation for regional hubs under the New Agenda for Peace. The Hub is an initiative of the UN Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General for the Horn of Africa (OSE-HoA) and is led by their CSM-funded Climate, Peace and Security Advisor, collaborating closely with the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and other regional counterparts, including UN agencies, funds and programmes, to address climate-related risks to peace and security in the region.
Rationale
The Horn of Africa – defined here as Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda – is highly exposed to the effects of climate change, which are contributing to food and water insecurity, displacement, conflict and insecurity across the region. IGAD Member States have agreed a regional response is required to manage these climate-related risks to peace and security. As such, Member States have directed IGAD to establish the first Regional Climate Security Coordination Mechanism.
Our work
The goal of the Hub is to accelerate progress on the climate, peace and security agenda in the Horn of Africa, in turn contributing to the resilience and stability of the region. Working closely with IGAD and regional counterparts, the Hub aims to:(i) strengthen coordination, collaboration and partnerships on climate, peace and security in the region; (ii) enhance the capacity of the UN and IGAD to assess climate-related security risks in the region; (iii) incorporate climate and environment dimensions into mediation and preventive diplomacy; and (iv) increase climate action in the most vulnerable and conflict-affected parts of the Horn.
Since its establishment in 2023, the Hub has made significant strides in strengthening partnerships between the UN, Member States, IGAD and the African Union Commission to advance the climate, peace and security agenda in the region, under the leadership of OSE-HoA. These have included conducting joint analyses, convening technical consultations, advocacy at key international and regional fora and developing concrete initiatives targeting the cross-border areas of the Horn of Africa region.
From its vantage point in the Horn of Africa, the Hub also leverages the opportunities to coordinate closely with other CSM-funded CPS advisors and focal points at the national, sub-regional and regional levels, including with UNTMIS, UNMISS, UNISFA, UNOAU and regional offices of UN agencies, funds and programmes and resident coordinator’s offices.
