REMARKS

 FOR

H.E. AMB. JOSEFA LEONEL CORREIA SACKO

COMMISSIONER

AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, BLUE ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

 AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION

ON

INAUGURATION OF THE AFRICAN UNION MULTI-HAZARD EARLY WARNING SITUATION ROOM

17 DECEMBER 2021

Excellency Ministers, Ambassadors and members of Diplomatic Corps, Delegates and Dignitaries, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

1. Two years ago, the south-eastern African countries were hit by tropical cyclones - Cyclone Idai and Kenneth, both of which had caused deaths of more than 1000 persons. The Post Disaster Need Assessment conducted later indicated that the total cost for recovery was almost 2.9 billion US dollars.  Two years prior to Cyclone Idai disaster, Freetown in Sierra Leone was hit by massive landslide disaster- causing massive devastation, hundreds were reported dead and many hundreds more missing.
2. Drawing lessons from the recent disasters, the challenge remains accessibility of timely and effective early warning information for early action and lack of institutional arrangements and capacities for translating early warning information into action.
3. In order to ensure adequate institutional arrangement, the AU Commission has embarked in implementing Programme on Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action. Key aspects of this programme include development of Africa Institutional Framework for Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action and establishment of the Situation for Multi-Hazard Early Warning System and Early Action.
4. This situation room is a vital to improving accessibility of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Information. The situation room has five core functions which are Disaster risks data collections, building capacity of Member States in early warning and early action, disaster preparedness and response.
5. To be effective, the situation room is to be linked to the Regional Economical Communities Situation Rooms and situations rooms in member states.
6. The inauguration of this situation room today is just a beginning of long journey to a truly multi-hazard early warning system in Africa. I wish to thank the Government of Italy and UNDRR for the support and wish to further call upon our development partners to consider joining us in this lifesaving and cost effective programme on the continent.

I thank you.