On the occasion of Earth and Peoples Day organized on August 26, 2026 by IOM as part of COP17, the UN Resident Coordinator in Cameroon, Issa Sanogo, defended pastoral mobility as a climate adaptation strategy to be preserved, not restricted.
Pastoralism is not just an economic activity. This is the strong message conveyed by Issa Sanogo at COP17. Invited to the high-level roundtable “Pastoralism for resilience and peace,” organized on August 26 by IOM – UN Migration, the Resident Coordinator in Cameroon called for a change in perspective on pastoral mobility.
For him, this mobility is a critical climate adaptation strategy against desertification. It should be facilitated rather than restricted, because pastoralism is a complete socio-cultural and ecological system that strengthens community resilience and secures sustainable livelihoods.
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Drawing on the Cameroonian experience, where pressure on land fuels tensions, Mr. Sanogo emphasized four levers: securing access to pastoral lands and transhumance corridors, strengthening policy frameworks, improving data collection and early warning systems, and consolidating cross-border cooperation.
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All these actions are considered essential to prevent resource-related conflicts and ensure that adaptive mobility remains an opportunity, not a response to distress. The United Nations reaffirms its commitment to supporting inclusive solutions making pastoralism a vector of stability and peace.
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