Countries across the Arab States strengthen their ability to learn from hazardous events through the launch of the Training for After-Event Review (AER) Facilitators under the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative.
The training brought together delegates from Arab States including Sudan, Somalia and Comoros, reinforcing regional commitment to disaster risk reduction and stronger early warning systems.
Early warning systems (EWS) are among the most effective tools for reducing disaster risk, saving lives and limiting losses. However, their effectiveness depends on more than forecasts and technology; it also relies on institutions’ ability to learn from experience. The AER process provides a structured mechanism to examine what was expected to happen before and during an event, what occurred, why it happened, and how systems could be strengthened.
By institutionalizing AERs, countries across the region were able to identify good practices and gaps across the entire early warning value chain, from risk knowledge and forecasting to communication and preparedness to translate findings into actionable recommendations.
Supporting Early Warnings for All
Launched by the United Nations Secretary-General in 2022, the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative was created to ensure that everyone on Earth would be protected by Early Warning Systems (EWS) by 2027. The EW4All initiative is organized around four pillars: risk knowledge, monitoring and forecasting, dissemination and communication, and preparedness and response. The initiative is led respectively by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Within this framework, AERs emerged as a key learning tool. In 2025, the EW4All pillars developed methodological guidance to support countries in conducting AERs. While initial applications showed positive results, further feedback highlighted the need for a structured training programme to ensure the methodology could be applied consistently and independently across different national contexts.
The Training for AER Facilitators was designed in response to this need.
Building a team of skilled facilitators
The training equipped participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to independently manage the AER process within Member States. By strengthening facilitation capacity, countries became better positioned to conduct rapid, evidence-based assessments that contributed to more effective, inclusive and trusted EWS.
By the end of the training, participants were able to:
- Plan and manage an AER process from start to finish, adapting the methodology to national contexts.
- Build trust with decision makers and stakeholders through professional and inclusive facilitation.
- Collect and analyze information using structured tools and procedures.
- Design and facilitate constructive validation workshops that promoted learning in a non-punitive environment, while managing group, cultural and gender dynamics.
- Translate findings into practical recommendations and implementation plans.
- Contribute to a growing community of AER practitioners across countries.
Flexible delivery for broader reach
To maximize accessibility and impact, the training package was delivered in two formats.
A three-day in-person course was organized for selected members of the AER facilitation pool at country, regional or international level. Each session brought together more than 25 participants, with attention to gender balance and diversity of institutional representation to foster an inclusive learning environment.
Meanwhile, self-paced online modules were made available through a globally accessible learning platform. This format allowed a wider range of practitioners to strengthen their facilitation skills, particularly those required to conduct reviews at short notice.
Both formats adopted participatory, adult-learning approaches and emphasized practical application.
Strengthening systems through learning
As climate-related hazards continue to increase in frequency and intensity across the Arab States, strengthening EWS remains a priority. The Training for AER Facilitators reinforced the importance of continuous learning as a foundation for resilience.
By investing in national and regional facilitation capacity, UNDRR and EW4All partners supported countries in embedding systematic learning into their EWS. The initiative showed a key message: Early Warning Systems are strengthened not only before disasters strike, but by learning from them.
By investing in national and regional facilitation capacity, including representatives from Sudan, Somalia and Comoros, EW4All partners are helping embed systematic learning into early warning systems and advancing progress toward universal protection by 2027.