Integrating Mobility and Climate Action in African Cities: Building Resilient Cities for Displaced and Host Communities

Climate-induced shocks, conflict, and rapid urbanization are intensifying mobility within and between cities, straining housing, infrastructure, and social cohesion. This urban mobility creates overlapping vulnerabilities for internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, migrants, returnees, and host communities alike. To address these challenges, this workshop explores sustainable, climate-resilient, and inclusive integration strategies by highlighting evidence from the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS), and Cities Alliance’s SUIDAC initiative.

The session will illustrate how locally led, participatory approaches can advance a more equitable urban future, featuring perspectives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Commission, and the Mayor of Jigjiga, Ethiopia.

Participants will identify the structural shifts needed for climate action that remain responsive to the needs of migrant and host populations. By exchanging practical strategies on the complex interaction between mobility, conflict, and climate change, the session aims to harmonize local climate resilience with migration management.