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AfRP Bulletin: Ninth Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction: Summary report: 21-24 October 2024

The multiplicity of hazards that exist on the African continent, such as earthquakes, droughts, floods, tropical storms, and landslides, means that the threat of disasters is never far from the continent. However, given sufficient information, foresight, and planning, this threat – or risk – of disasters can be reduced and managed to minimize loss and damage.

The Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (AfRP) is the main disaster risk reduction (DRR) coordination mechanism for Africa. It held its ninth meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, on the theme “Act Now for the Resilient Africa We Want.” The Ninth AfRP (AfRP-9) was an opportunity for stakeholders representing a diverse range of sectors, from local communities to subnational, national, and regional governments, to share their experiences and exchange ideas on how to translate DRR knowledge into action to build a more resilient Africa.

AfRP-9 focused on issues critical for enhancing Africa’s disaster preparedness, including: applying risk information for transformative governance; investing to reduce risk, by changing the way money is spent; and reducing loss and damage, by saving lives and protecting investments. The Forum featured a combination of plenary, thematic, and working sessions that provided participants with the opportunity to deep dive into these important topics and chart a path forward for Africa’s resilience.

Key messages that emerged from the Forum included the fact that early warning and early action are essential for reducing disaster risk and minimizing the loss and damage from disasters. Such early warning and action require effective collaboration across the whole of society and government, as all stakeholders, from local communities to the private sector, to ministers and parliamentarians, have a responsibility and role to play. Early warning also requires a paradigm shift from reactive action to proactive planning, and the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System (AMHEWAS) Programme was showcased as an important mechanism for proactive action on the continent.

Back-to-back with the AfRP-9, the Eighth High-Level Meeting on DRR also convened, bringing together African Ministers and Heads of Delegation to adopt the outcome of the Forum, particularly the Windhoek Declaration. This Declaration contains calls to action for Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), local authorities, the private sector, civil society, and all members of society to play a part in implementing disaster risk management (DRM) activities. The Declaration also urges Member States and other relevant bodies to mainstream DRR in development programmes in all sectors.

AfRP-9 took place from 22-24 October 2024 in Windhoek, Namibia, with the Eighth High-Level Meeting on DRR also convening on 24 October. The two events were hosted by the Government of Namibia and organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), African Union Commission (AUC), and Southern African Development Community (SADC).

These meetings were preceded by the Early Warnings for All Multi-Stakeholder Forum for Africa, Pre-Conference Stakeholder Consultations, and the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Disaster Preparedness Workshop 2024, which all took place on 21 October. Over 700 participants, representing every sector of society, attended the four-day event.

Read the full report