On Wednesday 1 July, the European Union and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced the rollout of the regional RE2CLID programme in Southern African countries to help them anticipate and manage population displacement linked to climate change.
The project comes as climate crises continue to worsen in the region. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 7.3 million internal displacements were recorded last year, including 2.9 million that have been directly attributable to natural disasters.
The programme primarily targets Southern Africa and the south-west Indian Ocean (SWIO), covering the Comoros, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique and Seychelles – an area where more than 826,000 displacements were recorded during the 2024–2025 cyclone season.
Funded by the EU and implemented by the IOM, the programme will deploy predictive modelling tools and advanced weather forecasting systems. The aim will be to collect and centralise migration data in order to integrate it systematically into adaptation policies and disaster risk reduction plans in the beneficiary countries.
Technical implementation will be based on multilevel governance, involving national ministries, district councils and traditional chiefs, while harmonising cross-border protocols with the Southern African Development Community and the Indian Ocean Commission. (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)