3^rd Session of the Technical Working Group for the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning AND EARLY Action System (AMHEWAS) PROGRAMME

OPENING REMARKS

BY

MR. HARSEN NYAMBE, DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT AND BLUE ECONOMY,

AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION

ACCRA, GHANA

WEDNESDAY, 23 JULY 2025

ALISA HOTEL, ACCRA

Distinguished Representatives of African Union Member States,

Representative of the Host Government – Republic of Ghana,

Representatives of the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Climate Centres,

Esteemed Development Partners and Technical Institutions,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. On behalf of the African Union Commission, I am honoured to welcome you all to the 3^rd AMHEWAS Technical Working Group Meeting in the beautiful city of Accra. I extend my sincere gratitude to the Government and people of the Republic of Ghana for hosting the 3^rd Session of the AMHEWAS Technical Working Group and for continued leadership and commitment to the disaster risk reduction agenda in Africa.
2. As we assemble here today, our continent faces increasing frequency and complexity of climate- and disaster-related risks. We live in a human-dominated world and the pace and scale of changes to the environment, from climate change to land-use change, are staggering. Accelerated socio-economic changes accompanying global change threaten the ecological life support systems on which we depend for livelihoods. The rapid and novel challenges of the Anthropocene are also manifested, and perceived, from prolonged droughts and floods to cyclones, wildfires, and disease outbreaks, the need for robust, inclusive, and interoperable early warning systems has never been more urgent than now.
3. The Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System (AMHEWAS) Programme is the African Union’s initiative to build multi-layered and integrated early warning systems anchored on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Programme of Action for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in Africa. The AMHEWAS Programme is a continental response to contribute to reduced disaster losses and build a resilient Africa as espoused by Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
4. The AMHEWAS Programme is structured around four technical pillars: Risk Knowledge; Hazard Monitoring and Forecasting; Warning Dissemination and Communication, and Preparedness and Response.
5. Through this meeting, we aim to not only review progress but to identify actionable pathways to scale up implementation and strengthen interoperability of Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems across the value chain in Member States and RECs. In particular, this platform will discuss the development of AMHEWAS Situation Rooms, the harmonisation of multi-hazard products such as drought and the Continental Watch bulletins, and the technical guidelines on the Operations of AMHEWAS Situation Rooms, including the Common Alert Protocol (CAP).
6. Let me also underscore the central role of innovation and partnerships. AMHEWAS brings together institutions like ACMAD, ICPAC, SHOC, CIMA, WMO, and UN agencies to co-create data-driven, locally anchored systems. These collaborations are yielding tangible results, including the development of transboundary risk early warning guidelines, harmonised forecasting protocols, and climate-smart early action mechanisms.
7. As we commence the Technical Working Group sessions, I encourage open and solution-oriented dialogue on critical challenges such as:

• Interoperability of EWS platforms and systems across national and regional levels;
• Coordination and co-designing, and production of AMHEWAS products
• Institutional coordination and data governance;
• Joint resource mobilisation and the scaling of anticipatory action, especially in fragile and conflict-affected areas.

1. Our collective task is not simply to issue alerts. It is to ensure that those alerts translate into timely, life-saving action on the ground that communities are prepared that institutions are connected, and that Africa leads with foresight and resilience.
2. Finally, I wish to reiterate the Commission’s strong commitment to supporting Member States and RECs in implementing the AMHEWAS Programme. The outcomes of this meeting will shape our direction for the year ahead, and we look forward to receiving your expert input as we finalise the work plan and strategic recommendations.
3. I also wish to appreciate all the partners (Governments of Italy, Denmark, Sweden and German Cooperation) as well as the European Union, UNDRR, World Bank, UNDP and NORCAP among others for your continued support to the AMHEWAS Programme. I wish you a fruitful engagement and impactful outcomes.
4. I now declare the 3rd Annual AMHEWAS Technical Working Meeting officially open.

I Thank you.