El Niño: Mozambique ranked as one of the ‘most vulnerable’ African countries
Story By Staff Reporter
A record-breaking super El Niño is taking shape, and the United Nations has issued a warning. It says Mozambique is one of Africa’s most vulnerable countries.
The powerful weather system will likely bring severe heatwaves and below-normal rainfall. It will also raise drought risks across Southern Africa.
Elisa Morgera, UN Special Rapporteur on climate change, stressed the country’s exposure. “Mozambique is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change on the planet,” she said. “It has contributed very little to it.”
She spoke at the end of an 11-day working visit to the country. In the context of the 2026 super El Niño, she expects prolonged droughts, cyclones and floods in the coming months.
The warning comes as Mozambique struggles with acute economic strain. Catastrophic flooding hit the country earlier this year.
Morgera urged multinational companies in Mozambique to avoid environmental damage. “Private companies must have very clear obligations to respect human rights,” she said. “They must avoid foreseeable environmental and climate damage.” She said this applies particularly to fossil fuel companies.
Three and a half million people already face acute food insecurity in Mozambique. The UN named Malawi and Madagascar as the other two most vulnerable countries in Africa.
