Session on migration, displacement in Africa to be held on fringe of AU summit

ADDIS ABABA, Feb 9 (MENA) - A session on migration and internal displacement issues will be held on the sidelines of the 32nd of the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa.

The session will tackle efforts meant to finance mechanisms of combating migration and offering relief to the refugees and displaced who left their residential areas inside Africa.

Historically, Africa is considered one of the world's top regions that are sending migrants. It suffers a problem with the number of the homeless and displaced due to lack of political stability.

In recent times, migration is accelerated by the negative impacts of climate change. Between 2008 and 2015, an average of 26 million people was displaced annually by climate or weather-related disasters. In 2016, an estimated 1.1 million people were displaced by sudden on-set natural hazards.

Therefore, the AU established the African Risk Capacity Agency in 2012 to help Member States better plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events and other natural disasters, thereby protecting the food security and livelihoods of their most vulnerable populations.