Nairobi, Kenya - May 21, 2025 - Today, Kenya officially took a major step towards protecting lives and livelihoods from disasters through its national launch of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative. The launch is followed by a national workshop, taking place in Nairobi from 21-23 May, 2025, which seeks to tailor United Nations' 'Early Warnings for All' initiative to the risk profile and needs of Kenya, and will bring together national authorities, stakeholders, and international partners to develop an implementation roadmap for expanding the coverage and effectiveness of multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS).
Over recent decades, Kenya has faced increasing climate-related disasters, particularly droughts and floods, which have severely impacted communities, especially in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) regions. In 2024, the March-April-May floods affected around 410,000 persons, claimed 315 lives and caused damage that amounted to 187 billion Kenyan Shillings (USD 1.5 Billion).
To reduce these disaster losses, Kenya joined the global EW4All initiative in a demonstration of its commitment to saving lives and the country's hard-fought development gains. The launch of EW4All in Kenya underscores the urgent need to shift from reactive disaster response to proactive anticipatory action, while ensuring that no one is left behind when disasters strike.
Officially launching the event, The Honourable Dr. Deborah Barassa, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Chane and Forestry, stated that "Every Kenyan - regardless of where they live or what language they speak- deserves access to life saving information before disaster strikes. This Initiative will do exactly that. Let us therefore unite, collaborate, engage, and build an Early Warning System in Kenya that will reduce loss of life and livelihoods, bolster food security, and build a more resilient Kenya for generations to come". She also announced that "5 percent of the national Disaster Risk Management budget will be allocated to upgrading early warning systems across all relevant institutions".
Kenya is not new to early warning systems and has been making notable progress in advancing this work. The country engages in ambitious efforts, such as the development of the "Kenya Anticipatory Action Roadmap 2024 - 2029", and hosts key institutions including the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC) which co-organised this event.
Kenya's leadership role was reinforced by the designation of His Excellency, Dr William Samoei Ruto, CGH, the President of the Republic of Kenya, as the World Meteorological Organization Champion for the EW4All Initiative in Africa, during the Africa Climate Summit in 2023.
To strengthen inclusive early warning in the country, the workshop will provide a platform to coordinate efforts, strengthen disaster governance, and enhance Kenya's capacity for real-time monitoring and forecasting of natural hazards.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya, Dr. Stephen Jackson, reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations "to support a successful implementation of the initiative" and stressed the importance of the Early Warning Roadmap that will "serve as a strategic guide to drive initiatives at both national and local levels, channel investments towards enhancing Early Warning Systems for more effective Disaster Risk Reduction and facilitate the seamless integration of comprehensive early warning mechanisms."
This initiative will serve as a catalyst for action, ensuring that individuals and institutions across the country are empowered to respond to disasters before they strike.
For more information about Early Warnings for All and the national workshop, please contact: justine.dumas@un.org
For photos of the event:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCf3i3
About EW4All:
Early Warnings for All is a global United Nations initiative aimed at ensuring that every person on Earth is protected from hazardous weather, water, or climate events through life-saving early warning systems by 2027. Early warning systems are among the most effective measures for reducing disaster risks and building resilience.