African climate leaders, government representatives, frontline communities, and development partners have voiced a demand for renewed global commitment to climate justice. They warn that the African continent is facing escalating climate-induced losses and damages.
The call for action emerged from the 5th African Regional Conference on Loss and Damage, which took place from March 25 to 27, 2026, in Lilongwe, Malawi. Participants expressed concern over the declining political will of major emitters and the insufficient funding for climate response mechanisms.
The Scale of the Problem
Despite contributing the least to global emissions, Africa continues to experience the most severe impacts of climate change. Delegates highlighted that less than $1 billion has been mobilized globally for loss and damage over the past four years. This figure is significantly lower than the estimated $400–800 billion required annually.
Furthermore, only 10% of climate finance reaches frontline communities, while children and youth receive a mere 2.4%. This disparity leaves the most vulnerable populations with inadequate support.
Financing Challenges
Participants criticized the continued reliance on debt-creating finance for climate responses. They argued that loans exacerbate the fiscal crises faced by African nations already struggling with poverty, debt distress, and limited financial resources.
Loss and Damage as Reparatory Justice
The communiqué emphasized that addressing loss and damage is not simply a humanitarian effort but a matter of reparatory justice. This perspective is rooted in historical responsibility and supported by international legal principles. The communiqué referenced the 2025 International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion, which affirmed binding state obligations under customary international law, and drew inspiration from a recent UN resolution recognizing the transatlantic slave trade as a grave crime against humanity.
Improving Access to Funds
While acknowledging progress such as the operationalization of the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage (SNLD) and the Barbados Implementation Modality, delegates noted that these mechanisms remain distant from affected communities. They called for simplified, decentralized, and community-led access pathways within the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) to ensure resources reach the most severely impacted areas.
Africa’s Role in Global Negotiations
The conference highlighted Africa’s opportunity as the host of COP32. Delegates urged the continent to leverage this position to redefine global norms and advocate for loss and damage finance to be recognized as part of a broader reparatory justice framework. They also pressed the African Union to establish a continental coordination mechanism and a Pan-African Loss and Damage Data Initiative to strengthen evidence generation and policy influence.
Demands for Developed Nations
Participants demanded that developed countries fulfill their obligations under the Paris Agreement. They called for increased grant-based finance and accelerated global financial reforms to ensure timely, accessible, and effective responses. A multi-stakeholder advocacy platform will be launched, alongside grassroots networks across Africa, and efforts will be made to document loss and damage cases, including non-economic losses, to support litigation, accountability, and global advocacy.
The Lilongwe communiqué reflects Africa’s determination to take control of its role in global climate negotiations and to prioritize justice, equity, and historical responsibility in the global response to the climate crisis. It signifies a shift from seeking support to asserting rights.
