VISIT OF EU AMBASSADORS ACCREDITED TO FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA AND AFRICAN UNION IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA TO AMHEWAS SITUATION ROOM

17 MAY 2022

Excellencies and distinguished audience present her;

1. I am honoured by your visit to our newly established situation room: the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System (AMHEWAS) Situation Room. Your visit is a true reflection of your belief in Africa and the African Union. It is an indication of our partnership and resolve to work together in addressing our joint challenges facing our planet.

2. Climate change and disaster risk are diffused and global. However, some regions, countries, communities suffer their effects disproportionately. The African continent is the most vulnerable to climate and disaster risks.

3. During the last four decades, the continent experienced more than 1000 disasters. More than 460 million people have been affected by droughts, floods, cyclones, earthquakes and volcanoes. Approximately 1 million people have died from disasters caused by natural hazards between 1970 and 2019. In 2015-2018 alone, disaster events increased from 311 during the 2015-2016 period to 474 during the period 2017-2018. The number of people dying from disasters increased from 31,710 in 2015-2016 to 36,287 in 2017-2018 and the economic losses from disasters have also significantly increased from US$ 2.8 billion in the period 2015-2016 to US$ 8.1 billion in 2017-2018[1].

4. These disasters are driven by development induced factors and climate change, coupled with weak coping capacities.

5. Effective mainstreaming of climate and disaster risk in development programme and early warning systems can significantly reduce disasters and disaster losses.

6. In 2015, member states across the world under the auspices of the United Nations adopted the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. The Sendai Framework targets to substantially increase access and availability of multi-hazard early warning systems to people by 2030.

7. Prior to Sendai Framework, the African Union developed an Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2004. In 2005, the AU developed a Programme of Action which was also aligned to Hyogo Framework for Action.  The Africa Strategy calls for member states to prioritise early warning systems to reduce disaster losses.

8. Following the adoption of the Sendai Framework, the African Union developed the Programme of Action (PoA) for the implementation of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which was adopted by the AU Summit in January 2017.

9. The PoA, like the Sendai Framework, aims to substantially increase access and availability of multi-hazard warning systems and risk information to the African people by 2030.

10. In that light, the African Union developed the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System (AMHEWAS) to expedite delivery of multi-hazard early warning information to the African public within the remaining 7 years.

11. The pilot phase of AMHEWAS resulted to establishment of three situation rooms (AMHEWAS Continental Situation Room, at AU HQS, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; IGAD Disaster Operation Situation Room, in Nairobi, Kenya, and Climate Advisory Situation Room based in Africa Climate and Meteorological Application Centre (ACMAD) in Niamey Niger). This project been made possible through financial support by the Government of Italy, through the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. The programme has been implemented jointly with the UNDRR, CIMA Research Foundation, ACMAD and IGAD.

12. This programme also benefited from various supports by our partners. The European Union support to the AU Commission in operationalization of the PoA 2015-2030 within the framework of Intra-ACP Natural Disaster Risk Programme has helped support the establishment of the AMHEWAS. Sweden and UNDP within the Framework of the Sahel Resilience project contributed to the development of the Africa Institutional Framework Multi-Hazard Early warning and early actions, which form the basis of the next phase of AMHEWAS.

13. The next phase of AMHEWAS is to ensure comprehensive rollout of the programme in the remaining RECs and member states. This will ensure all RECs and member states are connected to the situation room.

14. This network approach is expected to enhance effective warning, better preparedness, quicker response and early recovery. Overall, it will enhance division of labour between RECs, MS and AU Commission.

15. Successful implementation of AMHEWAS will not only reduce disaster losses and build resilience; it will significantly reduce forced displacement and migration; reduce the demand for humanitarian assistance; protect development gains and contribute to a safer Africa and the world.

16. The implementation of this ambitious programme is urgent as the stake are high. Disasters are increasing, expectation by member states are high, and the African public put their trust in this programme.

17. I am so glad that you visit us, to see what we do, our ambitions, our challenges. I wish to ask you once more we need your support!
18. With these few remarks, I wish to welcome you to the AMHEWAS Situation Room.