Discussions on how to build drought resilience in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel were held on 28 May 2013 in Marrakech on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group which is funding the programme.
Participants at the event shared experiences on how to build drought resilience in and enhance the development of a policy framework and practices to ensure sustainable livelihoods and food security.
The event highlighted the programs being prepared to build resilience in two of the regions in Africa that are frequently affected by drought and focused on a shift from emergency relief to long-term resilience building.
In his introductory remarks, the Vice-President for Sector Operations, Aly Abou-Sabaa, highlighted the importance of the programmes for the Bank and the on-going efforts and commitment in build long-term resilience in the two regions.
The discussants included Somalia's National Resources Minister, Abdirisaq Omar Mohamed, and Chad's State Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation, Ruth Madjidian Tedebe, who represented the Horn of Africa and Sahel regions, respectively.
The Executive Secretary of the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), Alhousseini Bretaudeau, the Agriculture Director of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Moussa Mohamed, and the AfDB's Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department Director, Abdirahman Beileh, participated in the meeting.
According to Beileh, the Bank will undertake programme preparation missions in the two regions in the coming months.