An internally displaced person walks near Baidoa camp in Somalia, on Jan. 20, 2023. (Photo by Abdi/Xinhua)
According to the Climate Challenges in Fragile and Conflict-Affected States report by the International Monetary Fund, even though Africa's fragile nations have contributed the least to climate change, they tend to suffer more from floods, droughts, storms and other climate-related shocks as compared to the more stable countries.
NAIROBI, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Africa's fragile and conflict-affected states are the greatest climate change casualties, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a report released Wednesday.
According to the climate challenges in fragile and conflict-affected states report, even though Africa's fragile nations have contributed the least to climate change, they tend to suffer more from floods, droughts, storms and other climate-related shocks as compared to the more stable countries.
"Each year, three times more people are affected by natural disasters in fragile states than in other countries," the report says.
The findings indicate that in fragile countries, climate vulnerability coupled with conflict, heavy dependence on rain-fed agriculture, and weak capacity exacerbate each other which further magnifies their negative impact on people and economies.
People are seen stranded on the road due to flash floods on the Kampala-Masaka highway, Uganda, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua)
According to the IMF, fragile states tend to suffer higher losses from climate shocks as a result of the lack of financial means.
The report notes that sustained financial support from international development partners is required in order to avoid the worsening of hunger and conflict that can fuel forced displacement and migration.
The IMF urged Africa's fragile nations to implement policies to facilitate immediate response to climate change shocks through measures such as building fiscal buffers and international foreign exchange reserves and strengthening social safety nets. It said that it is stepping up support to Africa's fragile nations to enable them to deal with climate change challenges through carefully tailored policy advice, financing, and capacity development. ■