Johannesburg:The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has launched a strategic workshop aimed at enhancing regional disaster preparedness and early intervention measures in anticipation of the El Niño impacts expected during the 2026/2027 rainfall season.
According to South African Government News Agency, the four-day 2026 Disaster Preparedness and Response Planning Workshop convened in Johannesburg brings together SADC Member States and humanitarian partners. The focus is on assessing potential risks, improving contingency planning, and ensuring that early warnings lead to timely actions.
The workshop, themed 'From Forecast to Consequence Anticipating the Cascading Impacts of El Niño 2026/27 in Southern Africa', is organized by the SADC Secretariat in collaboration with the European Union and the Regional Anticipatory Action Working Group (RAAWG). It aims to strengthen coordination, mobilize resources, and protect vulnerable communities from humanitarian consequences.
Director of South Africa's National Disaster Management Centre, Pumeza Tyali, officially opened the workshop, emphasizing the necessity of multi-hazard early warning systems, improved forecasting, and inclusive disaster preparedness measures. The workshop's success, she noted, would be measured by the actions resulting from its deliberations.
SADC Secretariat's Head of Disaster Risk Reduction, Dr. Manuel Lutango, highlighted the workshop as an opportunity to assess progress in disaster preparedness and anticipatory action since the previous regional workshop in 2024. The meeting will review preparations for the projected El Niño conditions, focusing on translating preparedness efforts into concrete actions.
Dr. Lewis Hove from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations underscored challenges such as funding delays and inadequate supplies that hinder disaster response. He called for stronger anticipatory action systems and shared regional contingency planning.
Pablo Torrealba, Head of Office for DG ECHO in Pretoria, stressed the need for the region to shift from reactive emergency response to systematic anticipatory action. He urged the development of validated plans and an accountable roadmap for action, underscoring DG ECHO's commitment to supporting SADC.
The workshop aligns with the recent Maputo International Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction's calls for accelerating the African Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System (AMHEWAS) and other initiatives. The deliberations in Johannesburg aim to link seasonal forecasts with risk-informed decision-making and resource mobilization.
The workshop is scheduled to conclude on 23 October 2026.
Source South African Government News Agency
