Urgent assistance is needed to avert deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Southern Africa, as the consequences of a historic El Niño-induced drought threaten to further push people into hunger and desperation. At a high-level roundtable convened by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in partnership with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations, on Thursday 28 November 2024 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, governments, and partners underscored the need for focused and timely assistance, alongside investment in resilience building, to address the consequences of the climate crisis.
Southern Africa is reeling from the severe effects of the 2023/2024 El Niño episode, which has caused the worst drought ever recorded across the region. Against this backdrop, there has been widespread water shortages, significant livestock losses and diminished harvests, resulting in rising food insecurity. Although El Niño conditions might have ended, its severe impacts linger. The capacity of smallholder farmers who produce most of the food has severely been eroded and so they struggled to access seed and other inputs. With this, hunger is expected to worsen at the end of the lean season in March-April 2025, affecting millions of families across the region.
The region's vulnerability to drought has also been intensified by pre-existing socio-economic challenges, a protracted cholera epidemic, the recent Monkeypox outbreak, and the compounding impacts of the climate crisis, severely affecting vulnerable children and communities. Close to 4 million children are projected to suffer from wasting in 2024 in El Niño-affected countries in Southern Africa. Several Member States have declared a state of disaster in response to the drought, and mobilized resources to address the crisis, but funding shortfalls hinder the response.
Honourable Daniel Garwe, Minister of Local Government and Public Works of the Republic of Zimbabwe noted the competing global priorities and called for collective solidarity. He further noted that the window for action is narrowing, hence the need for collective efforts to address drought, rebuild and empower communities to foster sustainable development in the region.
Angele Makombo N'tumba, the SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration, explained that the food insecurity crisis requires urgent and collective action at national, regional and global level. She further articulated that SADC has declared a Regional Emergency and launched a Humanitarian Appeal to request for assistance from International Cooperating Partners. Consequently, there is a need for action to grow and strengthen resilience in communities to future climate shocks.
Projections of a possible La Niña event in late 2024 bring both opportunities and challenges, with potential for improved rainfall but heightened risks of flash floods and cyclones. More needs to be done to strengthen disaster risk management and resilience building. Further, it is important to strengthen Southern Africa's agrifood systems through a multisectoral approach and improve anticipatory action to cushion communities against shocks.
Reena Ghelani, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, and Climate Crisis Coordinator for the El Niño / La Niña Response, stressed: "People in Southern Africa are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. We must act decisively to build resilience, help people recover and protect decades of development progress. The current rainy season is a critical opportunity to invest in agricultural recovery for communities affected by drought. Families and communities want to be self-sufficient, grow their own food, make a living and send their children to school. They need our support".
Edward Kallon, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Zimbabwe added: "As we navigate our path forward, we must emphasize the importance of resilience, urging us to not just recover but to emerge more robust in the face of future challenges. As disasters know no borders, our collective aim should be to empower all communities." He concluded by inviting partners to "foster enduring partnerships that strengthen collective disaster risk management efforts".
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The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), together with the SADC, UN agencies and humanitarian partners have been coordinating drought response, developing appeals, advocacy, and mobilizing resources. Through dedicated efforts and synergies, and the invaluable support of local organizations, millions of people received support, especially to mitigate the severe impact of food insecurity. However, as the effects of drought linger, people still need support.
To this end, SADC, the United Nations and partners reaffirm their commitment to work together to strengthen regional disaster preparedness and response mechanisms, through shared linkages for equal development for all Member States and to increase investments in climate adaptation and resilience building across Southern Africa.
