No country is safe from the devastating impacts of extreme weather — and saving lives means making early-warning systems accessible to all, UN chief António Guterres said on Wednesday.
“Early-warning systems work,” he told the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva. “They give farmers the power to protect their crops and livestock. Enable families to evacuate safely. And protect entire communities from devastation.”
“We know that disaster-related mortality is at least six times lower in countries with good early-warning systems in place,” the UN chief said.
He added that just 24 hours’ notice before a hazardous event can reduce damage by up to 30 per cent.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
In 2022, Mr. Guterres launched the Early Warnings for All initiative aiming to ensure that “everyone, everywhere” is protected by an alert system by 2027.
Progress has been made, with more than half of all countries now reportedly equipped with multi-hazard early-warning systems. The world’s least developed countries have nearly doubled their capacity since official reporting began “but we have a long way to go,” the UN chief acknowledged.
At a special meeting of the World Meteorological Congress earlier this week, countries endorsed an urgent Call to Action aiming to close the remaining gaps in surveillance.
Extreme weather worsens
WMO head Celeste Saulo, who has been urging a scale-up in early-warning system adoption, warned that the impacts of climate change are accelerating, as “more extreme weather is destroying lives and livelihoods and eroding hard-won development gains”.
She spoke of a “profound opportunity to harness climate intelligence and technological advances to build a more resilient future for all.”
Weather, water, and climate-related hazards have killed more than two million people in the past five decades, with developing countries accounting for 90 per cent of deaths, according to WMO.
Mr. Guterres emphasized the fact that for countries to “act at the speed and scale required” a ramp-up in funding will be key.
Surge in financing
“Reaching every community requires a surge in financing,” he said. “But too many developing countries are blocked by limited fiscal space, slowing growth, crushing debt burdens and growing systemic risks.”
He also urged action at the source of the climate crisis, to try to limit fast-advancing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial era temperatures – even though we know that this target will be overshot over the course of the next few years, he said.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.
“One thing is already clear: we will not be able to contain global warming below 1.5 degrees in the next few years,” Mr. Guterres warned. “The overshooting is now inevitable. Which will mean that we’re going to have a period, bigger or smaller, with higher or lower intensity, above 1.5 degrees in the years to come.”
Still, “we are not condemned to live with 1.5 degrees” if there is a global paradigm shift and countries take appropriate action.
At the UN’s next climate change conference, where states are expected to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade, “we need to be much more ambitious,” he said. COP30 will take place on 10-21 November, in Belén, Brazil.
“In Brazil, leaders need to agree on a credible plan in order to mobilize $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 for developing countries, to finance climate action,” Mr. Guterres insisted.
Developed countries should honour their commitment to double climate adaptation funding to $40 billion this year and the Loss and Damage Fund needs to attract “substantial contributions,” he said.
Mr. Guterres stressed the need to “fight disinformation, online harassment and greenwashing,” referring to the UN-backed Global Initiative on Climate Change Information Integrity.
“Scientists and researchers should never fear telling the truth,” he said.
He expressed his solidarity with the scientific community and said that the “ideas, expertise and influence” of the WMO, which marks its 75th anniversary this week, are needed now “more than ever”.
Read the original article on UN News.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

source

London — The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has released a new research brief, Africa’s natural resources and conflicts: a vicious cycle, examining how growing competition over natural resources is fuelling conflicts across the continent – and how these conflicts are, in turn, undermining Africa’s ability to leverage its own wealth for development.

The Foundation warns of a vicious cycle in which resources fuel conflict, while insecurity erodes governments’ capacity to manage those resources effectively, deters investment, and reinforces perceptions of Africa as a high-risk destination.

The new research brief highlights that the security situation in Africa has worsened sharply, with security incidents increasing by 87% between 2019 and 2024. Drawing on data from the 2024 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG), it notes that Security & Safety is the most deteriorated of all 16 governance sub-categories, declining by -5.0 points between 2014 and 2023 at the continental average level.

While this surge is seen as reflective of wider international rise in conflict, the brief highlights the enormous economic cost of insecurity in Africa. Between 1996 and 2022, intense conflict was associated with an average 20% reduction in annual economic growth. National-level impacts are also stark: in Sudan, GDP is projected to shrink by up to 42% under current conflict conditions.
The research identifies an emerging trend across the continent, where struggles over resource control are intensifying insecurity and weakening governance. The brief includes three case studies:
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Sudan: The war has deepened an already complex illicit financial flows (IFFs) landscape, with an estimated 57% of gold production smuggled in 2023. Both the SAF and RSF are funding operations through the gold sector, as international actors compete for influence.
The Sahel: Conflicts are increasingly driven by local grievances over land, climate stress, and control of resources such as gold, uranium, and oil. Armed groups, criminal networks, and foreign actors exploit these resources to finance violence, further eroding state authority in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad.
DR Congo: Foreign powers and armed groups continue to fight over the country’s mineral wealth, especially cobalt, of which the DRC produces 75% of global supply. Corruption and underreporting remain rampant, with mining companies failing to declare an estimated $16.8 billion in revenue between 2018 and 2023.
The research underscores the urgent need to address the links between security and resource management to ensure that Africa can leverage its own resources and take ownership of its development agenda.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

source

The Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) is partnering with international and local institutions to develop Africa’s first solar-powered artificial intelligence (AI) research cluster.
The university is in advanced discussions with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems and Karibu Kwetu Trading to establish micro-concentrated photovoltaic technology.
Micro-concentrated photovoltaic technology is a high-efficiency solar technology that uses lenses to focus sunlight onto highly efficient solar cells to achieve high concentration ratios.
Fraunhofer delivers up to 43% higher conversion efficiency, which will be aligned with Namibia’s growing research and innovation ecosystem.
This will be supported by Karibu Kwetu’s renewable energy expertise and Nust’s academic leadership in digital transformation.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Read the original article on Namibian.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

source