Event Date: February 26, 2026 - 11:00am to 3:00pm

Register your interest here: Microsoft Forms

Presented by CIPS and the Climate Security Association of Canada, with funding from a MINDS Targeted Engagement Grant

The Climate Security Association of Canada is organising a workshop on focused on the relationships between climate change and (in)security in African contexts, hosted by the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa. The workshop will take place in person at the University of Ottawa on Thursday, February 26, from 11am to 3pm. There are a limited number of spaces remaining for academic researchers, graduate students, or those involved in policy and practice whose work relates to the intersections of climate change and (in)security (broadly defined) in African contexts. If you’re interested in taking part in the workshop, please fill out the expression of interest form by Thursday, February 19. Please note that the workshop will be open only to those whose participation is confirmed, depending on available spaces. If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact [email protected].

The intersections of climate change and insecurity in African contexts have for many years been the subject of attention from researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and others, whose work has focused on (geo)political dynamics, human and ecological consequences, and various forms of response, across community, national, and regional, and international scales. In 2025, the Government of Canada released Canada’s Africa Strategy: A Partnership for Shared Prosperity and Security, presented as “strengthening… Canada’s engagement with Africa” through attention to, among other things, peace and security as well as climate change. The past year, however, has seen national political attention heavily oriented toward Arctic regions, wavering commitments to climate action and financing, and changes to foreign aid that affect responses to climate- and conflict-related crises, amidst wider transformations in international relations.

In this context, this workshop is intended to facilitate collective discussion on how climate change and (in)security are understood, prioritized, and addressed in relation to African contexts, by bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners with a shared interest in these issues. Workshop discussions will consider the challenges and possibilities associated with research, policy, and practice in the current national and international political context, as well as exploring directions for ongoing engagement and dialogue.