The 9th Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Eighth High-Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction Meeting Was held in Windhoek, Namibia from 21 to 24 October 2024 and was organized by the African Union Commission and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction in collaboration with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) under the theme under the theme "Act Now for the Resilient Africa We Want".
The Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction is the premier forum for charting the course of resilience building and risk reduction on the African continent. The Regional Platform brings together a wide range of stakeholders from national and local governments, intergovernmental organizations and development partners, civil society organizations and the private sector, and academic and scientific institutions, among others. AfRP-9 aims to review progress, discuss gaps and challenges, and identify priority actions for more effective and impactful implementation of the Programme of Action (PoA) for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 in Africa.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), underscored Africa's unique challenges in managing the growing complexity and intensity of disaster risks, largely driven by the climate crisis. Despite contributing the least to global emissions, Africa faces disproportionate impacts, from devastating cyclones and floods to persistent droughts. Kishore noted that African countries are often forced to allocate up to 9% of their national budgets to respond and recover from extreme weather events, hindering economic development and diverting crucial resources away from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also emphasized the additional challenges of fragility and conflict across the diverse and vast region, which exacerbate vulnerability and reduce coping capacities.
Yet, despite these hurdles, Africa has made significant progress toward building a resilient future. Africa was the first region to internalize the Sendai Framework by adopting the 'Africa Programme of Action,' which serves as a roadmap for its implementation by 2030. The region has prioritized strengthening early warning systems, even preceding the launch of the UN's 'Early Warnings for All' initiative. In alignment with the Sendai Framework's call for a shift from disaster response to proactive prevention, many African nations have developed new disaster risk reduction strategies, policies, and legislation. The continent has also made notable investments in improving forecasting and risk information systems to support early and anticipatory actions, from the continental to the national levels. Furthermore, innovative approaches to risk financing are emerging across Africa, reflecting its commitment to enhancing resilience and disaster preparedness.
On behalf of the SADC Executive Secretary Elias Mpedi Magosi, Mr. Anderson Banda, Director of the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre highlighted that the 9th African Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction will focus on building consensus among African Union Commission member states and Regional Economic Communities on the way forward, particularly in aligning efforts with the Sendai Framework and its Programme of Action. This collaboration aims to drive progress toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. The milestones set at various levels can only be realized through the integration of disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, risk governance, and risk-proof investment into continental, regional, and national development plans. These elements are critical to the integration, economic growth, resilience, and sustainability of Africa.
Mr. Harsen Nyambe, Director of Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment at the African Union Commission, highlighted the profound challenges Africa faces in achieving sustainable development, emphasizing that the continent is grappling with multiple conflicts, which he described as "enemies of development." He stressed that peace is essential for realizing the aspirations of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Climate change, he added, is another major obstacle, with African nations losing up to 5% of their GDP due to climate change impacts, as they are forced to divert resources to adaptation projects.
Nyambe further noted that disasters are reversing hard-won development gains. Beyond the tragic loss of lives and damage to infrastructure, African countries are spending substantial amounts on emergencies such as droughts, floods, and cyclones. In 2022 alone, weather, climate, and water-related hazards caused more than USD 8.5 billion in economic damages across the continent.
Despite the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund, with pledges of USD 792 million at COP28, Nyambe described this as a mere "drop in the ocean" compared to the magnitude of the loss and damage Africa faces annually. Recent data from Zero Carbon Analytics estimate that loss and damage costs in Africa could range between USD 290 billion and USD 440 billion from 2020 to 2030, depending on the level of global warming.
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Nyambe also highlighted the growing debt burden, with African nations forced to divert resources from crucial developmental projects to address the escalating impacts of climate change, further hindering their progress towards sustainability and resilience.
On behalf of the Namibian Prime Minister, Dr. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Deputy Prime Minister, Hon John Mutorwa emphasized the importance of placing communities at the heart of disaster risk reduction efforts. He highlighted the need to provide education to help people understand the risks and hazards they face, while ensuring that early warning systems are accessible to everyone, particularly the most vulnerable. The Deputy Prime Minister also expressed appreciation for the disaster relief support provided by individuals, the private sector, and civil society, noting their critical role in protecting lives and livelihoods. She called for better coordination to optimize these efforts and maximize their impact. As the 9th Regional Platform progresses, He urged delegates to engage in meaningful deliberations that will lead to a comprehensive and actionable "Windhoek Declaration," which will be a catalyst for building a resilient Africa.
