ICE Institute participates at the Third LDC Future Forum 2025
The Third LDC Future Forum 2025 brought together high-level policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, youth leaders, and innovators from across Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to engage in a global dialogue on resilience-building. The Forum focused on the intersection of climate, economy, health, and social protection—seeking African-led and South-driven pathways for inclusive and sustainable development in the face of systemic shocks.
The ICE Institute was represented by Ustaad Mohamed Okash, our director, who was invited as a featured researcher under the “Future Shapers of Resilience Building in LDCs” session. Mr. Okash presented a policy-oriented research poster titled:
“Exploring Climate Change Resilience of Major Crops in Somalia: Implications for Ensuring Food Security.”
This presentation examined the vulnerability of Somali crops to climate extremes, offered statistical insights, and recommended urgent policy and institutional reforms to strengthen food systems resilience in fragile environments like Somalia.
The Forum was held over three days, from 1st to 3rd April 2025, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia. The ICE presentation took place on Day 3 during the morning session dedicated to youth researchers and future thinkers.
he Forum convened a series of thematic sessions designed to address key resilience challenges facing Least Developed Countries (LDCs). These included dialogues on climate-smart agriculture and food systems, social safety nets to bolster community resilience, sustainable transitions in water and energy management, circular economy and green industrialization, and innovative financing mechanisms grounded in multi-actor partnerships. Each session brought together policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to explore scalable solutions rooted in evidence and experience. The session in which the Institute of Climate and Environment (ICE) participated was part of a dedicated track that showcased innovative, youth-led research and community-based adaptation practices. This track elevated the perspectives of young researchers from LDCs and highlighted their contributions to resilience-building, policy innovation, and localized climate action.
The Third LDC Future Forum brought together a distinguished group of participants from across the world. High-level political leadership was strongly represented, including Heads of State and Ministers, such as H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia, and ministers from Malawi, Liberia, and Togo. The forum also featured senior representatives from United Nations agencies, notably Ms. Rabab Fatima, Under-Secretary General and High Representative for UN-OHRLLS. Global development institutions such as the World Bank, UNIDO, FAO, and the African Development Bank actively participated in the sessions, offering strategic insights into inclusive resilience strategies. In addition, youth leaders and researchers from Africa, Asia, and the Pacific brought critical perspectives to the discussions. ICE Institute was proud to be among the few youth-led institutions representing Somalia at this global platform, offering a voice from a fragile and climate-vulnerable context.
ICE Institute’s participation in the Third LDC Future Forum significantly elevated its visibility and credibility as a leading climate research and policy institution from Somalia. By presenting Somalia-specific research on agricultural resilience, ICE contributed valuable evidence to global policy dialogues focused on food security and climate adaptation. The forum provided an opportunity to strengthen ICE’s institutional network with peer think tanks, governments, and innovation hubs from across the Global South. This engagement also served to amplify the voices of youth and the Global South in shaping global strategies for resilience and sustainability. Furthermore, ICE’s contributions aligned closely with the goals of the Doha Programme of Action, reinforcing its commitment to the transformative agenda for LDCs and positioning the institute as an active stakeholder in international development processes.
The ICE Institute reaffirms its commitment to knowledge production, policy dialogue, and youth empowerment as vehicles for climate resilience. Somalia has much to contribute to the global resilience narrative, and ICE is proud to be a vessel of that contribution.
