As cyclones, floods and droughts continue to uproot communities across Southern Africa, the European Union (EU) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have launched a new regional programme to help countries better anticipate, prevent and respond to climate displacement.
The launch comes as climate-related displacement continues to rise across the region. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, 17.3 million internal displacements were recorded in 2025, including 2.9 million linked to disasters. Southern Africa remains particularly exposed to recurring cyclones, floods and droughts, with the 2024-2025 cyclone season triggering more than 826,000 displacement movements.
"Communities across Southern Africa are already living with the consequences of a changing climate," said Fatma Said, IOM Chief of Mission in Malawi. "Families are losing homes, livelihoods and, in some cases, the ability to remain where they have lived for generations. This programme will help governments and communities better anticipate displacement risks, strengthen preparedness and take action before people are forced to move."
The Regional Responses to Climate Displacement in Sub-Saharan Africa (RE2CLID) Programme was officially launched in Malawi during a high-level meeting in Lilongwe on 15 June 2026. Funded by the European Union and implemented by IOM in partnership with governments and stakeholders across the region, the initiative aims to strengthen preparedness, improve data and forecasting systems, and support solutions that reduce displacement risks before disasters strike.
Among the regions most affected is the Southern Africa and South-West Indian Ocean (SAIO) cluster, comprising Comoros, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique and Seychelles. Increasingly frequent climate shocks continue to damage homes, disrupt livelihoods, and place growing pressure on communities and national systems.
Across the region, communities are grappling with the growing impacts of climate shocks on their homes, livelihoods and futures. Modestar Stoken, a community representative from Mangochi, shared how recent flooding forced many families in her community to start over after losing their homes and land.
"The floods were far worse than anything we had experienced before," she said. "Many families lost their homes and can no longer return to where they once lived. We are grateful to have been allocated land to start again, but we still need support to rebuild our lives."
The RE2CLID Programme seeks to help communities like Modestar's by supporting governments and local authorities to better understand displacement risks and integrate them into climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and development planning.
The programme will be implemented in close collaboration with national and local authorities, including ministries, government departments, district councils, and traditional leaders. It will also engage regional organizations such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), alongside international and civil society partners, to promote coordinated and locally driven responses.
Speaking at the launch, Malawi's Minister of Natural Resources, Honourable Patricia Wiskes, MP, emphasized the Government's commitment to addressing the growing impacts of climate change and displacement.
"The Government of Malawi recognizes the urgency of addressing climate-induced displacement as part of our broader efforts to strengthen resilience and support sustainable development," she said. "The RE2CLID Programme provides an important opportunity to better understand displacement risks and strengthen our capacity to prevent, prepare for and respond to them."
Recognizing that climate displacement often extends beyond national borders, the programme also places a strong emphasis on regional cooperation. Through strengthened coordination, knowledge sharing, and joint planning, participating countries will work together to address common challenges and develop more harmonized approaches to managing climate-related mobility.
"The RE2CLID Programme reflects the European Union's commitment to building climate resilience by working closely with national institutions and local communities," said H.E. Daniel Aristi Gaztelumendi, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Malawi. "By linking data, financing and implementation, the programme addresses a critical gap in current climate and disaster response systems related to climate-induced displacement."
