Rethinking Migration and Development in the MENA Region

Othman Belbeisi previously served as IOM’s Senior Regional Adviser for MENA in Geneva, as Chief of Mission in Libya, and Head of the Lebanon Office. He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration. 

IOM is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. Established in 1951, IOM is part of the UN system. 

Across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), climate change is not a distant threat but a present and growing driver – directly or indirectly – of human mobility. From recurring floods in Sudan and Yemen to rising sea levels in North Africa and water scarcity in Iraq and Syria, environmental stress is forcing more people to move. But none of this occurs in a vacuum. 

Across this region, climate change interacts with pre-existing vulnerabilities including political instability, poverty, conflict and limited coping capacity to trigger displacement on a significant scale. A case in point is Sudan, where 11 million people have been forced from their homes, especially since the start of the civil war in April 2023. 

But the crisis is not just about war. It is also about the collapse of agriculture after years of drought, increasingly erratic monsoon rains, rising temperatures and frequent flooding which have damaged the ecosystems and degraded soils, combined with the absence of viable alternative livelihoods. Climate issues amplify conflict risks and conflict, in turn, accelerates environmental degradation – a vicious cycle that drives more and more people from their homes.

 We are also witnessing this dynamic in Syria, where recovery and reconstruction efforts are underway in areas still struggling with shattered infrastructure, exhausted local economies and traumatized populations. While the return of displaced people can be a sign of stability, it also presents risks: of overwhelming fragile infrastructure and services inflaming local tensions or pushing people to move again, within countries, across borders, or even back to where they first took refuge. On the other hand, if managed inclusively, the return of the displaced to their homes can be an opportunity to rebuild, to provide infrastructure that is fairer to communities and fairer to the environment. 

The MENA region includes some of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. In Iraq, entire communities in some southern districts have been forced to migrate to urban areas due to the collapse of traditional agriculture and lack of alternative income sources. In Libya, Cyclone Daniel brought severe destruction and loss of life in September 2023. 

Coastal zones in Tunisia and Egypt face increased risks from sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion – a major threat to freshwater supplies. And in Yemen, a country already devastated by years of war, climate change has become a threat multiplier. Droughts, floods, storms of increased ferocity and water scarcity are worsening food insecurity, disrupting rural livelihoods and driving internal displacement. More than four million people remain displaced, with many living in informal settlements without access to clean water, sanitation or healthcare. 

In response, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is working with local authorities and communities to deliver integrated services – including solar-powered water systems, rehabilitated shelters and climate-resilient infrastructure – while strengthening conflict-resolution mechanisms to resolve tensions over access to scarce natural resources at community level. These are not just humanitarian interventions; these are investments in stability. 

Crucially, we are also supporting community-based disaster risk reduction, helping vulnerable populations and communities prepare for and recover from disasters triggered by extreme weather events such as storms and flooding. This includes restoring water sources, improving irrigation systems and promoting local climate adaptation plans. 

Yemen reminds us that climate resilience is not possible without peace. At the same time, it stands as evidence that peace will always be fragile without sustained investment in climate adaptation and development. 

Climate change, displacement, humanitarian response and development are not separate issues. They are deeply connected. Migration is clearly a humanitarian concern, but it is also a development opportunity and must be supported with the right policies and investment. 

In Tunisia, IOM is piloting climate-resilient agricultural cooperatives that offer young people an alternative to risky migration. In Sudan, we support natural resource management initiatives to reduce tensions between displaced communities and host populations as part of our peacebuilding activities. In Iraq, we work with local authorities to map environmental hazards and integrate human mobility into urban planning. 

We can take heart and gain inspiration from migrants and refugees themselves. People like Mona, who fled Sudan for Libya. When she could not find work as a teacher she decided to open a restaurant with a little help from IOM. Now she’s able to send her children to school, is creating new jobs and considering expanding. 

These efforts show promise, but they are small-scale, local and short- term. What we need is a shift in how development actors – including multilateral development banks – design, finance and implement integrated climate and migration responses that address both the immediate needs of the affected populations as well as long-term development needs. This means three things: 

First, we should invest in anticipatory action and disaster risk management (such as early warning systems) while making sustainable livelihoods accessible for the affected populations. Financing must prioritize areas at risk of displacement, not just those already in crisis. 

Second – and this is at the heart of what IOM already does – we need to support host communities, not just displaced people, to promote social cohesion. Development aid must strengthen services and local governance in the towns that are mainly growing due to climate factors. 

Third, we must use our local presence to amplify the voices of those most affected. Increased availability and accessibility to regular migration pathways is critical. Our role is to support, not restrict, migration choices, ensuring they are safe and voluntary. In this, young people, who represent around 30 percent of the MENA population, are pivotal. They are disproportionately exposed to climate risks due to limited livelihood and resilience opportunities. At the same time, they are powerful agents of innovation, leadership and sustainable development. 

There is no stopping climate change from influencing human mobility in this region. But there is still time to shape how it happens. Migration, if well-managed, can be a force for resilience, innovation and stability. Poorly managed, it can deepen divisions, overwhelm systems and escalate tensions. 

So, what do we do, as we stand at this crossroads of climate change? Do we continue to react to each new climate disaster with emergency appeals – or do we invest in a future where people are not forced to flee, but can adapt, thrive and move with dignity, by choice? 

This is a question for today. Not tomorrow.