Initiative for Sustainability, Stability and Security in Africa

Lack of economic opportunity is a root cause of irregular migration. As a major factor that makes people leave their homes, progressing climate change threatens the productivity of Africa’s land and deprives farmers of economic prospects.

Irregular migration contributes to brain drain in African countries. Those who leave are often the young who, unemployed at home, look for a better economic future elsewhere.

 

COVID-19 is likely to increase youth unemployment in Africa as, according to the World Economic Forum, some 20 million jobs are threatened. With youth unemployment in Africa already double that of adults, the potential for social unrest is heightened.

Within the Rural Resilience Programme, the Initiative for Sustainability, Stability and Security in Africa (3S Initiative) tackles the interlinked issues of climate resilience, youth unemployment and irregular migration in an integrated manner by focusing on agroecology and degraded land areas of the continent.

The 3S Initiative strengthens mobility by building a restorative circular African economy that maintains and regenerates its environmental resources. To achieve this, the 3S Initiative works at fortifying Africa’s three critical endowments jointly: its natural resources (sustainability), human resources (stability), and institutional resources (security).

The 3S Initiative pursues three key outcomes:

• restoring 10 million hectares of agricultural lands, ecosystems and forests
• creating or sustaining two million green jobs and safeguarding rural employment
• reducing forced migration through a circular local economy, while fostering culture, peace and justice.