Copenhagen, 5 December 2024 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Government of Denmark jointly launched a new programme today on Climate Change and Migration Data with a focus on key migration corridors and cross border collaborations in North, East and West Africa, targeting vulnerable and irregular migrants, displaced persons, host governments, host communities receiving migrants and displaced persons, and communities affected by disasters, climate change and environmental degradation. Migration and climate change adaptation in Africa are both priorities of the Danish government in its recently released Africa Strategy (August 2024) by the Danish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The "Climate Change and Migration Data Programme” is implemented across three regions and multiple countries on the African continent in collaboration with governmental and other relevant partners. With the generous funding of DKK 175 million (approx. USD 25 million) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the programme adopts a strategic approach to capacity building on climate change and migration data along migration routes in Africa, in line with Denmark’s Organisational Strategy for IOM (2023–2026).

“Multi-year softly earmarked funding from Denmark allows us to address strategic priorities, adapt and seek synergies that would not be possible under strictly earmarked modalities and shorter funding cycles,” says Barbara Rijks, Chief of Mission of IOM Denmark. “We are honoured to partner with the Danish Government to address the strategic challenges related to human mobility, climate change and environmental degradation, as well as to produce much-needed data on migration to ensure that policies and programmes are evidence based.”

The programme will run until December 2026, and aims to deliver the four key outcomes:

• Governments and communities address, adapt to, and build resilience against climate- and environment-related multi-hazard risks, ensuring mobility remains a choice rather than a necessity.
• Migrants, displaced persons, returnees, and transnational community members achieve social integration, sustainable livelihoods, and climate-adapted development.
• Governments and stakeholders improve the collection, analysis, and dissemination of high-quality, disaggregated migration data to inform policies.
• Decision-makers and responders use data effectively to design migration management policies and deliver assistance to vulnerable populations.

During programme implementation, IOM will coordinate closely with multiple partners including, intergovernmental and regional economic communities such as IGAD, EAC and ECOWAS, governments, UN Agencies, academia, private sector, NGOs and civil society organizations, leveraging IOM’s extensive expertise and presence in Africa.

This programme is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. 

For more information please contact:

In Copenhagen: Alessandro Lira, Sub-Regional Media and Communications Officer for Nordic Countries, alira@iom.int, +45 23 66 76 33