NAIROBI, Aug. 27 -- Experts met in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Tuesday to develop a common position on climate-related security risks.

The three-day African Union (AU) forum on consultation and development of the common African position on climate change, peace, and security brought together more than 100 delegates from the AU, the United Nations, and African countries to develop a unified approach on climate change risks.

In his opening remarks, Aden Duale, cabinet secretary for the Kenyan Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, noted that as a threat multiplier, climate-related security risks have intensified health, food and nutrition, water, and energy insecurities across Africa.

"The common continental position will help to bridge policy gaps, attract much-needed climate finance, and enhance our collective decision-making processes in matters of climate and security," Duale said.

He added that prolonged droughts, devastating floods, and storms have wreaked havoc, inflicted massive displacement, migration, deaths, and loss of livelihoods, and undermined peace and security in Africa.

Alhadji Sarjoh Bah, director of conflict management within the Political Affairs Peace and Security Department at the AU, said the challenge of climate change to peace and security is beyond the capacity of any country or entity to tackle.

Bah observed that the shared development and security implications will be best resolved through cooperation at regional and continental levels.

Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, special representative of the UN Secretary-General to the AU and head of the UN office to the AU, urged the region to develop comprehensive continental strategies and share the most innovative approaches for climate adaptation to administer shared resources.

Onanga-Anyanga revealed that Africa, though the continent least responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, is at most risk of climate-induced conflicts.

Amme Mohamedy, permanent representative of Mauritania to the AU, said continental cooperation is crucial, given that climate change could raise tensions and trigger new conflicts by redrawing the maps of water availability and other natural resources.

  - Xinhua