1. Introduction

Organizations and institutions that are participating in disaster risk reduction education and capacity building are being invited to provide background information on their organizations, profiles as including the nature and scope of disaster risk reduction programmes and activities that are being undertaken. The information gathered through the attached instrument will be evaluated by a group of experts, and serve as a preliminary assessment tool to identify a shortlist of leading institutions or networks in the area of disaster risk reduction education and capacity building. The short listed institutions will then be approached for in-depth assessment and evaluation.
2. Background
In the advent of climate change and variability, the state of and trends in disasters in Africa, both natural and anthropogenic, and the status and evolution of mechanisms for disaster risk reduction management at the continental, regional, sub-regional and national levels is worrying. This is mainly so due to the poor economies of many African countries and hence their inability to cope or mitigate disasters. The rapid increase in disaster frequency and intensity since the early 1990s has already created some devastating impacts on lives, livelihoods, property and productive/development systems and on the environment in various parts of this continent. Apart from the high level of poverty, other issues of population growth, rural urban migration, and depletion of natural resources through environmental degradation, diseases and conflicts are of major concern.

Floods (too much water) and in droughts (too little water) are perhaps the most obvious water related disasters in Africa. Floods are known to displace people and cause untold suffering to the society. Drought results into famine and has claimed many life’s in Africa. Their combined secondary impacts of diseases and epidemics are even far more devastating due to lack of adequate health facilities and sanitation services.

The less obvious facts about disasters relate to root causes such as human activity that could be addressed through improved public policy or is the result of poor policy, especially in urban areas. These indirect causes or aggravating factors could be varied and can include water resources management policies, agricultural policy, population development and settlement policies, environmental protection policy (or the lack thereof), industrial and economic development policies to name a few. In urban areas disasters are often caused by poor urban planning, poor or lack of enforcement building codes or standards, poverty and poor city governance in general. A good disaster management system therefore must include a strong institutional framework and governance processes, as well as practical application and implementation of disaster reduction measures.

In the global recognition of the increase in frequency and intensity of the natural disasters, in of January 2005, 168 Governments adopted the Hyogo framework of Action (HFA) a 10-year plan to make the world safer from natural hazards at the world Conference on Disaster Reduction, held in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. At the continental level the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster for Disaster Risk Reduction (2004) was adopted. Though it preceded the HFA, the Africa Regional Strategy mirrors the goals and strategic objectives of the Hyogo Framework of Action. A Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Africa Strategy (2006-2010) developed. This Plan was revised substantially in 2010 to incorporate major developments such as concern with climate change and its implementation period was extended to 2015 to align with the Hyogo Framework of Action.

The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) became the world blueprint for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) into the next decade. Together with Africa Strategy and its Programme of Action they provide the principle instruments for achieving disaster risk reduction within the context of sustainable development in Africa. Indeed their goal is the sustainable reduction of disaster losses by 2015 in terms of lives as well as the social, economic, and environmental assets of communities.

Both the HFA ( priority objective 3 and the Africa Regional Strategy (priority objective 3 and 4) underscore the importance of knowledge management innovation, education and public awareness for building a culture of safety and resilience. This emphasis on knowledge management underlines the importance of research and education institutions in advancing the cause of disaster risk reduction.

3. Justification

The 1st African Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction which was held on 7th December 2005 at the AU Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, considered a proposal the Arab Republic of Egypt for the establishment of an African Centre for Disaster Management Support. “The Ministers considered the proposal and agreed in principle for the creation of a continental centre and further suggested the need to establish sub-regional and national disaster risk reduction and management centres. To this end, they requested the African Union Commission, in collaboration with Egypt, to convene an experts’ meeting of Member States to undertake further analysis and define working modalities.” (EX. CL 228). This was further endorsed by the AU Executive Council in Khartoum in January 2006.

To implement this Ministerial decision, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Economy directed that UNISDR the AUC and Partners expert group should visit both Egypt and Nairobi and report their findings to the 2nd Ministerial Conference on DRR. Following further consultation it was agreed to make the process more inclusive and transparent in order to provide important for all prospective institutions throughout Africa. Subsequently the UNISDR Regional Africa Office developed draft criteria forthe establishment of Centre of Excellence that would be used as basis for identifying leading institutions involved in disaster risk reduction education.

The proposed criteria envisage the creation of one leading Africa Regional Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction as well as sub-regional centres hosted by Regional Economic Communities to form a network of Centres of Excellence. The proposed vision for the Centre of Excellence for DRR “Building safer and resilient communities through DRR for the attainment of sustainable development” is in line with the African strategy for DRR. The centre will have the responsibility for strengthening disaster risk reduction institutions of RECs and Member States, undertaking inter-disciplinary policy and applied research in disaster risk reduction, creating a network of knowledge management institutions linked as well with climate change, environment management and sustainable development as well promoting and facilitating the mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction into national and sector programmes.

The Criteria for Centres of Excellence and the draft terms of reference were tabled for discussion at the meeting of the African Working Group held in Yaoundé in Cameroon in May, 2102. The AWG agreed that the Criteria be translated into the relevant languages and distributed to the RECs for further consultations. This process is now underway. In the meantime, it has become urgent to undertake a preliminary assessment of leading institutions involved in disaster risk reduction education to report to the DRR Ministerial conference, with recommendations on the way forward.

4. Purpose

The AUC is putting processes in place towards the identification of leading institutions involved in disaster risk reduction education and capacity building as possible DRR Centres(s) of Excellence. As a first step academic, research, education and training institutions involved in implementing DRR programmes are being invited to provide brief backgrounds and profiles of their institutions and organizations, based a set of questionnaire. This document serves a framework for soliciting profiles of organizations or institutional involved a range programmes and activities in knowledge for disaster risk reduction, such of training, capacity building, research, consultancy, as well as academic programmes.

The information gathered through this process will be evaluated by a group of experts in order to shortlist the institutions that meet the basic criteria for a Centre of Excellence. The short listed institutions will then be approached for in-depth assessment and evaluation. The approach facilitates transparency and affords the opportunity for all organizations and institutions in Africa involved in education and knowledge management for disaster risk reduction to be considered as potential centre(s) of excellence. On the basis of this a report will be prepared for submission to DRR Ministerial Conference with recommendations.

5. Invitation to submit background and institutional profile

Organizations and institutions that are involved in offering programmes in disaster risk reduction are therefore being invited to provide background information on their organizations, profiles as including the nature and scope of disaster risk reduction programmes and activities that are being undertaken, used the attached questionnaire. The information gathered through attached instrument is evaluated by a group of experts, and serve as a preliminary assessment tool to identify a shortlist of leading institutions or networks in the area of disaster risk reduction education and capacity building. The short listed institutions will then be approached for in-depth assessment and evaluation.