The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Unit of the African Union Commission organised an Inter-Departmental Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (IDWG-DRR) to discuss the operationalisation of the Roots of African Resilience (ROAR) approach in African Union (AU) Member States. The consultation meeting took place at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 12 September 2025.

The event is part of a series of consultations and a way forward, starting with the kick-off workshop in October 2023 and culminating in the launch of the 2024 report at the 9th Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Namibia.

Participants were drawn from the departments of the AU Commission, regional offices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Norwegian Capacity (NORCAP).

The AU Commission, in collaboration with NORCAP and UNDP, is working progressively to develop guidelines to operationalise the ROAR approach. The ‘AU Guidelines on Resilience Building’ shall comprise a user-friendly and practical technical guidance toolkit accessible to AU Member States interested in adopting comprehensive resilience-building approaches.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Teresa Custudio Pinto, the AUC Technical Coordinator for Disaster Risk Reduction, welcomed the participants and encouraged them to engage actively in the discussions. Ms. Pinto explained, “The RoAR report will inform the guidelines, and the dimensions of resilience conceptualised by the report will be unpacked and simplified for use by Member States at national and sub-national levels. The development of the guidelines is part of the AU’s broader ambition to support harmonisation and operationalisation of resilience efforts that consider diverse African contexts across AU Member States and Regional Economic Communities.”

Dr. Renata Jagustovic, a Resilience Consortium Manager with NORCAP, noted that “NORCAP has been part of the ROAR process from the onset, and looks forward to seeing the outcomes of the consultations. We look forward to further cooperation with the AU Commission and UNDP.”

Dr Gatkuoth Kai, Regional Coordinator for Africa (Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery), UNDP Resilience Hub for Africa, emphasised, “UNDP places a strong value on the Roots of African Resilience approach as a cornerstone for Agenda 2063. Policy dialogue will be essential in cultivating political will. Resilience building is a complex process that is data dependent. UNDP remains committed to ensuring that these efforts are sustained and brought to fruition.”

Participants explored the five dimensions of resilience as defined in the report, namely, social, economic, governance, infrastructure, and environmental. Several topics were addressed, including the availability and accessibility of data on resilience, its publication and utility, feasibility, and relevance.

The discussions are set to continue over the coming months with an aim of a draft set of guidelines.

About the AU Commission’s Interdepartmental Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (IDWG-DRR)

The AU Commission (AUC), as a premier continental institution, strives to demonstrate exemplary leadership in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction (DRR) in its policies, programmes, and projects, and has reiterated the need for collaboration among various departments at the AUC. The AUC established an Interdepartmental Working Group on DRR (IDWG-DRR) to facilitate the mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction in the African Union Commission's departments' projects and programs, ensuring that development processes are resilient and sustainable.

For further information, please contact:

Mrs. Teresa Pinto, Technical Coordinator, Disaster Risk Reduction Unit | Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy | African Union Commission | E-mail: PintoT@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

For media enquiry:

Mr Molalet Tsedeke | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission
Tel: +251-911-630 631 | E-mail: MolaletT@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Ms. Maryanne Muriuki, Communications Analyst – Disaster Risk Reduction | Disaster Risk Reduction Unit | African Union Commission | E-mail: MuriukiM@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia