Declaration of the 4th African Regional Conference on Loss and Damage

Lilongwe, Malawi | March 26–28, 2025: Communique: 4th African Regional Conference on Loss and Damage

The Fourth African Regional Conference on Loss and Damage convened in Lilongwe, Malawi, brought together African governments, civil society, academia, private sector, and frontline communities to amplify African voices and demands on climate finance for loss and damage.

Key Highlights of the Declaration

Grant-Based Financing
The declaration calls for increased, grant-based climate finance—not loans—through the UNFCCC and other global mechanisms to rebuild and build resilience in African communities.

Empowering the Santiago Network
Immediate financial and operational support is needed to activate the Santiago Network for technical assistance on Loss and Damage.

Inclusive Decision-Making
The declaration emphasizes the inclusion of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups in climate response planning and implementation.

National and Regional Climate Integration
Governments are urged to integrate Loss and Damage into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), with strong transparency and accountability mechanisms.

Locally Led Solutions
The declaration supports scaling up community-led initiatives and ensuring they have direct access to climate finance and technical assistance.

New Climate Finance Architecture
A reformed, transparent system of climate finance is demanded—one that ensures direct access, simplifies procedures, and removes bureaucratic delays.

Civil Society Commitments
Civil society pledges to monitor the implementation of the declaration, support evidence-based advocacy, and promote frontline representation in negotiations.

Click here to download the PDF: Declaration of the 4th African Regional Conference on Loss and Damage