Africa-Press – Eswatini. The African Union (AU) Commission is in discussions with global technology company Google to strengthen Africa’s ability to combat the growing impacts of climate change.
The talks were confirmed by Moses Vilakati, the AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Development. He said the proposed partnership would focus on using advanced technology and data systems to help African countries anticipate and prepare for climate-related disasters. According to Vilakati, Google’s tools could enable early warning systems capable of forecasting potential climate disasters up to five years in advance.
Speaking to Eswatini TV, Vilakati said climate change continues to pose serious threats across the African continent, affecting food security, water availability, public health and economic development. He noted that prolonged droughts, floods, cyclones and rising temperatures have increasingly disrupted agricultural production, which remains the backbone of many African economies.
In recent years, several African countries have experienced severe droughts that led to crop failures and livestock losses, worsening hunger and poverty levels. At the same time, destructive floods and cyclones have displaced communities, damaged infrastructure and strained government resources. Coastal and island nations are also facing rising sea levels, which threaten fisheries, tourism and livelihoods linked to the blue economy.
Vilakati emphasized that Africa contributes very little to global greenhouse gas emissions but suffers disproportionately from the effects of climate change. He said improved access to climate data, predictive modeling and digital tools could help governments plan better responses, protect vulnerable communities and reduce long-term losses.
The AU believes that partnering with technology companies such as Google could strengthen climate monitoring, disaster preparedness and sustainable development efforts across the continent. Vilakati added that the discussions are part of broader AU efforts to mobilize innovation and global partnerships to address climate challenges facing Africa.
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