Partners Meet in Lilongwe Malawi to Set the Loss and Damage Agenda for Africa

Addressing loss and damage requires a significant financial investment, which can be a challenge for many African countries with limited resources. Discussions on Loss and Damage have taken a back seat for years on end despite being a significant challenge facing the globe and Africa the most.

In a symposium organized by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, alongside partners namely: Civil society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC) ,Trocaire, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) SCIAF and the Scottish Government hosted the 3-day event at the Bingu Wa Mutharika International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe Malawi.

The symposium is meant to explore in intricate details how Africa is going to collect, galvanize, consolidate and an African position on matters of Loss and Damage. Loss and Damage has attracted a lot of attention since the cover decision at Sharm El Sheik at COP27 in 2022 when the negotiations ended in the setting up of a loss and damage fund.

This announcement was a significant win for the people of Africa, but the people remain wary as they are yet to see the operationalization of the fund which will mean getting funds that are not tied to loans rather grants that will support the rehabilitation of countries affected by the adverse effects of climate change.

In his opening  remarks , Dr Micheal Usi, Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change. urged governments, private sector, faith-based organizations, government agencies and other relevant stakeholders to work together to “All stakeholders must work together to ensure that there is sufficient knowledge generation and dissemination to communities who would most benefit from early warning signs to enable them to combat and minimize  the effects of the ravaging effects of the climate crisis.”

Augustine Njdamnshi, the Chairperson Technical and Political Committee Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, urged delegates that The Global community must recognize the need to address loss and damage. Africa continues to suffer through the floods, ravaging drought in most parts of Africa, lack of clean energy for cooking whilst being the least contributor towards GHG gas emissions.

  “Why must we continue to suffer at the hands of the global North. We are not looking at Who caused the problems, but we are looking at loss and damage from the perspective of the victims and how will we help them, we are not looking for sympathy, we want people to take responsibility”, he emphasized .

The symposium is taking place on the background of the tropical cyclone Freddy cyclone that has overwhelmed the southern region of Africa beginning in Madagascar, spreading through Mozambique and finally Malawi. The country is yet to recover from these devastating effects.

The symposium participants discussed various policy and community-based recommendations for addressing loss and damage in the African context. These recommendations focus on the need for increased funding, policy interventions, and community-based solutions to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change in Africa. Participants also recognized the importance of community-based solutions in addressing loss and damage in Africa. They recommended the implementation of community-led approaches that promote resilience and adaptation, such as ecosystem-based approaches, sustainable agriculture practices, and youth-led initiatives. The participants called for greater engagement with marginalized communities, especially women and vulnerable groups, in developing community-based solutions.

While challenges persist, there are also opportunities for innovative solutions and international cooperation to support Africa’s efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. As such, continued collaboration and investment in addressing loss and damage will be vital for building a sustainable and resilient future for Africa and beyond.

Climate change isn’t just about adaptation and mitigation anymore. Loss and damage must be acknowledged as a significant issue affecting the communities at the frontline of the climate crisis. We must therefore ensure that we have enough data to make informed decisions that are directly and indirectly linked to loss and damage across Africa.