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Disaster Risk Reduction: Africa backs action on Sendai

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Disaster Risk Reduction: Africa backs action on Sendai

Disaster Risk Reduction: Africa backs action on Sendai
Photo credit: EAC

Government Ministers, heads of delegation and national disaster management agencies from 47 African countries on 25 November 2016 agreed on a strategic plan to align disaster risk reduction with the priorities and targets of the global plan to reduce disaster losses, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

They also agreed to forward the Mauritius Declaration, a statement of strong political commitment, for adoption at the African Union Summit in January 2017. The Declaration calls for implementation of the Programme of Action and the allocation of budgetary support to disaster risk reduction.

The Programme of Action contains specific commitments to the seven targets of the Sendai Framework including the achievement of substantial reductions in disaster-related mortality, numbers of people affected by disasters, economic losses and damage to critical infrastructure.

Africa has also adopted five additional targets of its own to augment action on disaster risk reduction including integration of DRR in school curricula, making DRR part of sustainable development planning, increasing domestic spending on DRR, expanding the number of countries testing their preparedness plans, and increasing the number of partnerships for knowledge management.

Opening Africa’s 5th High Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction on 25 November, the acting Prime Minister of the host country Mauritius, Mr. Xavier-Luc Duval, said that this week’s consultations needed to culminate in a strong Programme of Action for reducing disaster losses and a common African position for next year’s Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction in Mexico.

Mr. Duval said: “It is time for the region to join its forces to protect the lives and livelihoods of the country, our infrastructure and our economies. I strongly believe that the time has come to set up a regional mechanism for cooperation within regional agencies like SADC, COMESA, IOC in order to react with greater efficiency.”

He listed several measures undertaken by Mauritius to invest in resilience and to strengthen disaster risk governance. These included the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2016, and the setting up of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and committees at local government level.

Speaking on behalf of the Chair of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), King Swati III of Swaziland, South African Government Minister and SADC Deputy Chair, Mr. David Van Rooyen, said the importance of the week’s discussions were underlined by the current humanitarian emergency across the region.

Mr. Van Rooyen said: “The severity of the El Niño induced crisis has resulted in a severe drought and overwhelmed the disaster preparedness capacity in all affected Member States.” SADC has launched an appeal for US$2.9 billion to meet the needs of about 40 million vulnerable people out of a total population of 257 million people. SADC has established a regional DRR unit and programme.

Minister Van Rooyen concluded: “It is encouraging that the proposed way forward from this meeting will enable us to give adequate policy guidance to our member States towards building resilience and sustainable development for the region.”

African Union Commissioner, Ms. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, speaking at what she said would be her last such meeting, said she was satisfied to see the great progress now being made in disaster risk reduction with an increased level of interest at government level.

Ms. Peace reaffirmed the commitment of the African Union Commission to support countries in the implementation of the Sendai Framework. “Our political leadership remains committed. We look forward to continuing with the excellent collaboration we have been having with Member States, the Regional Economic Communities and all our partners in advancing the disaster risk reduction agenda in our continent,” she said.

Mr. Alain Wong, Minister for the Environment welcomed the unanimous adoption of both the Programme of Action and the Mauritius Declaration which he said amounted to an ambitious agenda of shared commitments which need to translated into concrete actions.

Mexican Ambassador to Mauritius, Mr. Mauricio Escanero, congratulated the meeting on the successful outcome and looked forward to the region’s full participation in the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Cancun, Mexico in May 2017.


EAC at the 6th Africa Regional Platform and 5th High Level Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction in Mauritius

The 6th Africa Regional Platform (AfRP) on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) concluded over the weekend in Mauritius. It was organized by the African Union and United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and co-hosted by the SADC and the Government of Mauritius. The East African Community was represented both at the Experts segment and in the High Level Ministerial Session by Mr. Jean Baptiste Havugimana, the Director for Productive Sectors.

The AfRP is a biennial forum that brings together African Member States, intergovernmental organizations and development partners to review progress in the implementation of the continental and global disaster risk reduction frameworks.

The 6th AfRP on DRR is the first continental meeting on DRR organized after the adoption of the Sendai framework on DRR by UN member states in Sendai, Japan in March 2015. The Framework provides a critical strategy for building resilience and addressing the impact of disasters representing a serious threat to millions of people in Africa and across the world. The 6th AfRP was a concrete opportunity for Africa to set up a functional path to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable communities in Africa. The Platform also enabled delegates sharing of good practices, success stories and lessons learnt with a view to enhancing coordination, increasing awareness, and mobilizing commitments to disaster risk reduction across Africa. 

The outcome of the 6th Africa Platform on DRR is an Africa Statement of DRR, the Mauritius Declaration on continental commitment and a revised Programme of Action on DRR for Africa.

During the Experts segment, Mr. Jean Baptiste Havugimana was a panelist under the theme: “Risk governance to showcase the status of EAC in implementing the Sendai Framework and the role of the DRR Act in achieving priority two of the Sendai Framework – Enhancing Risk governance”. Mr. Havugimana further presented during the Ministerial Session the EAC Position Paper and Commitment in the implementation of the Sendai Framework. The Statement was a summary of discussions held by all EAC delegations during their session as a REC. Below is the East African Community Statement:

Statement of the East African Community

Preamble

  1. The East African Community Secretariat wishes to congratulate the Government and the People of the Republic of Mauritius for the excellent hosting and the reception accorded to all delegates during the 6th Africa Regional Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction and management here in Mauritius.

  2. East Africa Community also wishes the African Union Commission and the United Nations Office for Disaster Reduction and Partners success in the on-going preparations for the forthcoming World Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction Scheduled for May 2017 in Cancun, Mexico.

  3. East African Community also wishes to recognize with appreciation the continued support on implementing Disaster Risk Reduction Programme at the sub-regional level provided to the Regional Economic Communities through the Africa Regional Office, in particular the extension of Technical Assistance in form of Technical Advisor to the East African Community Risk Reduction and Management Unit.

Where are we? What are the challenges? And what are our future plans?

  1. EAC has made significant progress in strengthening the Disaster Risk Management capacities and made some milestone achievements, key among of them being the East African Community Disaster Risk Reduction Act, 2016 and the Climate Change Vulnerability Impact Assessment Study.

  2. I am pleased to inform you that the aforesaid Act was passed by the 4th Session of the 5th Assembly held in Arusha on 10th March, 2016, paving the way for the region to take necessary disaster preparedness, management, and protection and mitigation measures as well as in handling disasters in a more co-ordinated manner.

  3. The Act is currently under consideration by Partner States officials and will be assented to during the 18th Ordinary Heads of State Summit scheduled to take place early next year.

  4. Under the Impact Vulnerability Assessment study, Climate Hot spots maps have been prepared and the EAC Sectoral Council on Environment and Natural Resources Management adopted the results.

  5. East African Community is in the process of Building a Climate Information Network and User Interface to respond to the needs of priority stakeholders. Four thematic areas have been identified a) Agriculture & food security; b) water resources & hydro climatic disasters; c) weather and climate; d) land cover, land use change and ecosystems.

  6. We have started the process by designing a regional climate information network through collaborative partnerships with other regional organizations such as FEWS NET, RCMRD/SERVIR, and ICPAC with support from USAID.

  7. Last but not least, EAC has established a dedicated Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Unit under its structure at the EAC Secretariat under the Direct Supervision of the Secretary General. The Unit reports to the Council of Ministers through the Secretary General.

  8. The unit will play a key role in the implementation of the East African Community Disaster Risk Reduction Act and the implementation of the Sendai Framework in the Region

However, besides the achievements, there are still Challenges, which include the following:

  1. Partner States are at different levels in Disaster Risk Reduction Legislation, which complicates the harmonisation process.

  2. Lack of resources to support: (i) the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction into education curriculum; (ii) Development of regional emergency response plans; (iii) Development of web portal for depositing Disaster Risk Reduction and other related emergencies; (iv) the operationalization of the established Disaster Risk Reduction Unit at the EAC Secretariat; and (v) strengthening and harmonizing existing regional early warning systems. Other challenges include:

  3. Limited budget allocation to Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Programme at both regional and national levels.

  4. Out-dated disaster maps

  5. Lack of harmonised mechanisms and coordination in addressing transboundary disasters.

  6. Climate variability, which is impacting key sectors including water, agriculture, health, wildlife and tourism, Energy and infrastructure.

What are our futures plans?

  1. The East African Community commits to implement its Disaster Risk Reduction Law as soon as it is assented to and in line with the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction. In this regard, the EAC priorities will be the following:

    i. Strengthen existing institutional capacities and set up new institutions established under the Act by 2018.

    ii. Review the EAC DRR and Management Strategy 2012-2016 and plan of action in accordance with the aligned African Programme of Action by 2017.

    iii. Update disaster maps and map out disasters evacuation centres by 2018.

    iv. Ensure DRR Programmes are people-centred.

    v. Adopt best practice such as the “Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (EcoDRR) Management approach” for reducing disaster risks, and

    vi. Harmonising mechanisms and coordination for transboundary hazards.

In conclusion

  1. EAC further reiterates its commitment to create the necessary conducive and enabling environment to strengthen resilience of communities to disasters to ensure sustainable development and poverty eradication, and to integrate, as appropriate both disaster risk reduction and building of resilience into policies, plans and programmes.

  2. Therefore, the East African Community calls upon the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, the United Nations Office for disaster Reduction, the World Bank and all our partners, to join EAC in walking the talk in order to have more actions to support the communities that have entrusted us to serve them.

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