SADC commits to disaster risk reduction - by Staff Reporter
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WINDHOEK - Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries have expressed their commitment to strengthen their ability to respond to natural disasters and reduce risks on their populations.
Member states made this pledge at the conclusion of the annual emergency preparedness and response workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa.
About three million people in the region are food insecure due to regional shortfalls in cereal production and will be more vulnerable with impending floods and other natural disasters feared in the coming rainy season, said SADC.
SADC said El Niño conditions are likely to suppress rainfall in parts of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Madagascar, especially during the critical December to February crop cycle.
As a result, drought conditions may prevail in these parts of the region, while normal to abnormal rain conditions are expected in the northern parts of Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Madagascar that could lead to localised flooding.
"We have seen over the last few years that the investments countries have made in having better disaster preparedness plans in place have paid off and greatly reduced the impact of disasters in many vulnerable communities," said James Machakaire, senior officer: peace building with the SADC Secretariat.
Timely movement of people living in flood plains and the positioning of supplies in high risk areas last year contributed significantly to an overall reduction in lives lost due to natural disasters, SADC said.
To mitigate climate change, migration, rising food prices and global recession, the SADC Secretariat agreed to take the lead in setting up a regional disaster risk reduction unit.
The unit would provide leadership and coordination, strengthen the sharing of early warning and disaster risk reduction information, and the exchange of experiences among SADC member States.
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Member states made this pledge at the conclusion of the annual emergency preparedness and response workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa.
About three million people in the region are food insecure due to regional shortfalls in cereal production and will be more vulnerable with impending floods and other natural disasters feared in the coming rainy season, said SADC.
SADC said El Niño conditions are likely to suppress rainfall in parts of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Madagascar, especially during the critical December to February crop cycle.
As a result, drought conditions may prevail in these parts of the region, while normal to abnormal rain conditions are expected in the northern parts of Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Madagascar that could lead to localised flooding.
"We have seen over the last few years that the investments countries have made in having better disaster preparedness plans in place have paid off and greatly reduced the impact of disasters in many vulnerable communities," said James Machakaire, senior officer: peace building with the SADC Secretariat.
Timely movement of people living in flood plains and the positioning of supplies in high risk areas last year contributed significantly to an overall reduction in lives lost due to natural disasters, SADC said.
To mitigate climate change, migration, rising food prices and global recession, the SADC Secretariat agreed to take the lead in setting up a regional disaster risk reduction unit.
The unit would provide leadership and coordination, strengthen the sharing of early warning and disaster risk reduction information, and the exchange of experiences among SADC member States.
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