SADC commits to disaster risk reduction - by Staff Reporter
Related Stories
Font Size
08 Feb 2010
AWKA – Glitches on Saturday marred an election for a governor in Nigeria’s Anambra state that is seen as a test of whether Africa’s largest ...
Youth vote crucial for Okahandja
08 Feb 2010
OKAHANDJA – Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) Secretary for Information and Mobilisation, Clinton Swartbooi, has expressed concern about past ...
Education key for Swanu in Okahandja
08 Feb 2010
OKAHANDJA – Swanu of Namibia’s candidate for the upcoming by-election in Okahandja, Ehrenfried Muroua, says his party’s focus is on the cruc...
Butuku bwa Measles Butokwa Swalisano
08 Feb 2010
LIKWAMBUYU wa Likolo la Makete ni Pabalelo ya Sicaba, mutompehi Richard Nchabi Kamwi sa kupile bashemi kaufeela mwa sikiliti sa Kunene sesi ...
Fundraiser generates over N$200 000 for Haiti
08 Feb 2010
WINDHOEK – Namibians managed to raise over N$200 000 for earthquake victims in Haiti during a gala dinner on Friday night.
The ga...
Resettled farmers told to vacate Mangetti
The ga...
08 Feb 2010
ONDANGWA – The Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development (MRLGHRD), Jerry Ekandjo, has said farmers that were...
Spanish research vessel in joint scientific campaign
08 Feb 2010
WINDHOEK – Spanish vessel, the Vizconde de Eza, docked at Walvis Bay for a joint Namibian-Spanish scientific campaign, carrying out a multi-...
ACC apprehends navy officer for bribery
08 Feb 2010
WINDHOEK – The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) recently arrested Lieutenant-Commander Simiran Elia Ndiyaamena at Walvis Bay on a charge of ...
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,"ť 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.
Back to Top
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,"ť 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.
Back to Top
Copyright 2008 ©New Era Publications . All rights reserved.| Site Designed and Hosted by Omalaeti Technologies | Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Contact Us
