Several African personalities from different fiefs took part to this session:  Mr. Moussa Koné, Director member of the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Integration (Mali), Mr. Isidore Kwandja Ngembo, Independent Researcher in Canada, Mr. Mohammed Khachani and  Professor at Mohammed V University Rabat, This session was moderated by Mr. Ahmed Skim, Director of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Moroccans living abroad and migration affairs.

In his intervention, Mr Moussa Koné talked about the case of Mali,  his country: "located in the heart of West Africa, Mali, with its porous borders, has borders with  7 countries and has become a country of Immigration, emigration and transit, while the Malian population is hit hard by the effects of climate change. "

"Environmental changes, coupled with population growth, make mobility harsh," he said, adding that " time has come to define and recognize the status of the climate refugee."

To meet the challenges of Africa, particularly  in regard to climate change, Mr Koné said that African diapora could plays a decisive role: "African expertise has to provide innovative responses to  prevent, adapt and strengthen the resilience of migrant and local populations ".

Mr. Moussa Koné

Mr. Isidore Kwandja Ngembo,  insisted for his part  on "the urgency to create the legal status of the climate refugee, which does not figure in the Geneva Convention".

"Developed countries are against the creation of this status because, they know that they would have to accept the migrants exodus who are fleeing  the effects of climate change. Which means that they would have to assume  this responsibility, he declares.

Mr Kwandja believes,  that in order to orient public policies towards Africa,  Morocco is able to make the voice of Africans fully heard because, of its geography and its action-based policies are a bridge between Africa and the West ".

In his speech, Mr Khachani said: "We do not need to project ourselves in 2050 to imagine the impact of climate change on migration. He said  that according to statistics, in 2015 already more than 19 million people will already  be displaced because of natural disasters and only 8 million for political conflicts ".

Mr. Mohammed Khachani

He reminded that the interest  on the status of the climate refugee  is not recent: " the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution inviting States to assist victims of disasters on 8 December 1988 said Mr. Khachani.

Mr Khachani added that there is an urgency of creating a climate refugee status which faces two constraints : the lack of a clear definition of the status – of climate refugee- and political resistance".

 CCME