NEW AVENUES FOR PEACE AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN THE SAHEL: A DIALOGUE WITH PRACTITIONERSAND DECISION-MAKERS IN TIMES OF POLITICAL UPHEAVAL
Date(s): 28 November 2023
Location: Brussels
Type: Hybrid
Organiser(s):
Event Page: https://www.eip.org/event/
Description: The European Institute of Peace, TrustWorks Global and ECDPM organised a knowledge-sharing event dedicated to addressing the deepening conflicts, political instability, and changing governance dynamics in the Sahel region through an environmental peacemaking lens. The focus of the event was on finding environmental avenues for mediation and climate resilience, with specific attention given to the trans-boundary area of the Liptako Gourma region, comprehending Mali,Burkina Faso, and Niger. Given that conflicts in this region primarily revolve around rivalries over the use and management of agro-pastoral natural resources, exacerbated by climate change and exploited by jihadi groups, environmental peacemaking provides an entry point for peacefully addressing these risks in an integrated manner, building resilience to conflict and climate, and achieving peace dividends.
The objective of the event was to provide a space to rethink traditional modes of cooperationin response to the regional crisis in Liptako Gourma. International actors have predominantly focused on counter terrorism, neglecting crucial governance issues, including widespread corruption in Sahelian states but also the governance of natural resources like land and water. The event serves to share the experiences and lessons learned of two projects, the first being the "EnvironmentalPeacemaking" initiative, implemented by the European Institute of Peace and TrustWorks Global with support from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. This project focuses on capacity and relationship-building between local, state, and regional actors involved in environmental peacemaking. The second project, CASCADES (EU Horizon 2020), contributes to a better understanding of cascading climate risks and informs responses for adaptation by European actors. Building upon the projects, the event hoped to contribute to the development of strategies that integrate environmental and governance considerations into peacemaking, natural resource management, and climate resilience in the Sahel.
Related Action(s): Climate and Environmental Peacemaking (CEPM) Programme
Related Publication(s): New Avenues for Peace and Climate Resilience in the Sahel: A Dialogue with Practitionersand Decision-Makers in Times of Political Upheaval - Event Report
TOPICS/Subjects:
- CLIMATE CHANGE
- Resilience
- CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS
- Civil Unrest / Conflict
- Displacement / Migration
- Water Security
- CLIMATE AND SECURITY
- Environmental Security
- Human Security