The African Union Commission (AUC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat Conclude Monitoring Visit to the SADC Humanitarian Operations Centre
Following a courtesy call to the President of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction of Mozambique (INGD), H.E. Luisa Celma Meque, the joint monitoring mission held a technical consultative meeting with the Institute in Maputo from 28-28 February 2025. During the meeting, INGD gave a presentation on the various disaster risk reduction initiatives it is engaged in, and a specific presentation was made on the ongoing multi-hazard early warning projects. INGD is receiving support from the CIMA Research Foundation to expand its situation room and align it with the continental and regional situation room at the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC).
The AU Commission, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) made presentations on the various projects they are implementing. Ms Teresa Pinto, the AUC Technical Coordinator for Disaster Risk Reduction, gave an overview of the DRR Unit and the multiple projects, including the Disaster Risk Governance Project and the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System (AMHEWAS) Programme.
Ms Nomsa Dube, the AMHEWAS Programme Manager, presented an overview of the programme. Mr Lusajo Ambukege, the AMHEWAS Senior Early Warning Expert, delved into the AMHEWAS Situation Room and its operations and products. He underlined the interoperability model, highlighting the need for interconnected systems. The SADC, IFRC, and OCHA made presentations on the Disaster Risk Management Strengthening in SADC (DRMSS) programme and its various components.
From February 26 to 28, the monitoring mission visited the emergency operations centre in Nacala province. The monitoring visit to SHOC kicked off with a courtesy visit to the regional INGD office in Nacala on the 26th. The monitoring visit then proceeded to the Centre, where Anderson Banda, the Director, and the technical team gave updates on the operationalisation of the Centre. The DRMSS project has catalysed other partnerships and facilitated the SHOC's equipping. Presentations were made by the AUC, SADC, IFRC, and OCHA on the AUC DRR Unit, the AMHEWAS programme, and various components of the DRMSS programme, which support the operationalisation of the SHOC.
The participants later visited the SHOC's Situation Room, where they were presented with the room's operations and various products. The Centre is already issuing impact-based advisories on various hazards that affect the region. Efforts are underway to include other risks, such as earthquakes, lightning, and wildfires. Discussions focused on potential areas of collaboration between the AUC, SADC, its DRMSS partners, and the WFP. The organisations present agreed that there is a need for continued cooperation to ensure the operationalisation of AMHEWAS is cascaded through SHOC to the SADC Member States.
Mrs. Faith Chivava, the AUC consultant working on the Transboundary Early Warning and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) guidelines, presented the draft report for input by the participants in the meeting.
The monitoring visit concluded with a session in which the organisations present developed a matrix outlining potential areas of collaboration in various activities. The AUC, SADC, IFRC, OCHA, and WFP are committed to developing and implementing joint activities such as capacity building, coordination, transboundary DRM, and situation rooms.
Collaborating Partners on the AUC's Disaster Risk Reduction Portfolio
The European Union's Intra-ACP Natural Disaster Risk Programme catalysed the African Union Commission's disaster risk reduction activities. Through this solid foundation, The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Unit has expanded its scope and established programmes, including AMHEWAS, the Africa Urban Resilience Programme, and the Sahel Resilience Project. In addition to the EU, the DRR functions are also supported by the generous governments of Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Angola, as well as implementing partners, namely, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank (WB), the CIMA Research Foundation, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of Germany.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
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