A COMMUNIQUÉ FROM THE 5TH AFRICAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON LOSS AND DAMAGE
Triggering Momentum on Supporting Loss and Damage in an Era of Weakening Commitment to Climate Justice.
The 5th African Regional Conference on Loss and Damage was held in Lilongwe, Malawi from 25th to 27th March, 2026.
The conference provided a platform for African stakeholders to develop strategies for advancing sustainable, equitable and just financing and technical support on loss and damage in Africa.
The conference drew participants from African governments, frontline communities, non-state actors, UN agencies and development partners.
This unique platform helped to shape Africa’s priorities on loss and damage; further cementing the role of distinguished players.
Key Issues Highlighted in the Communique
The conference underscored that Africa is already doing more than its fair share, allocating scarce fiscal resources to climate action despite debt burdens, often at the expense of poverty alleviation and essential social programmes.
In acknowledging this, the Communiqué calls for action focusing on the following issues:
Access the Communique here.
The 5th African Regional Conference on Loss and Damage was held in Lilongwe, Malawi from 25th to 27th March, 2026.
The conference provided a platform for African stakeholders to develop strategies for advancing sustainable, equitable and just financing and technical support on loss and damage in Africa.
The conference drew participants from African governments, frontline communities, non-state actors, UN agencies and development partners.
This unique platform helped to shape Africa’s priorities on loss and damage; further cementing the role of distinguished players.
Key Issues Highlighted in the Communique
The conference underscored that Africa is already doing more than its fair share, allocating scarce fiscal resources to climate action despite debt burdens, often at the expense of poverty alleviation and essential social programmes.
In acknowledging this, the Communiqué calls for action focusing on the following issues:
- Scale-up, diversified, simplified financing pathways and access for L&D finance with focus on the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage
- Reforms in loss and damage governance mechanisms spearheaded by the FRLD Board and world leaders
- Technical capacity for assessing economic and non-economic L&D delivered timely, sustainably and predictably through the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage
- Accelerating implementation of Addis Ababa Declaration in furthering L&D agenda with a call for the African Union to establish a continental L&D coordination mechanism
- Sustaining the reparations agenda with negotiators urged to act in good faith to ensure that finance under Article 9 of the Paris Agreement is treated as a binding obligation rooted in historical responsibility, not as a voluntary or diversified financing landscape
Access the Communique here.
