THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) will next week convene a high-level regional meeting of Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management in Masvingo, as the bloc intensifies efforts to strengthen preparedness, resilience and coordinated responses to natural disasters across the region.
In a statement, SADC Secretariat Head of Communications Ms Barbara Lopi said the sixth Ordinary Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management will be held on May 13 in Masvingo.
Southern African Development Community said the meeting will review progress made in implementing regional disaster risk management programmes and resolutions adopted by previous SADC Summits of Heads of State and Government, the Council of Ministers and sectoral ministerial meetings.
Ms Lopi said ministers would assess the implementation of key disaster risk management initiatives and deliberate on measures aimed at strengthening regional resilience in the face of climate-induced disasters and humanitarian emergencies.
“The Ministers will also receive updates on the implementation of disaster risk management and related programmes, including the operationalisation of the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre,” said Ms Lopi.
She added that ministers would also consider “strategic and operational instruments to guide disaster risk management interventions” across the region.
The meeting comes at a time when Southern Africa continues to experience recurrent droughts, cyclones, floods and disease outbreaks, largely linked to climate change and extreme weather patterns, which have negatively affected food security, infrastructure and livelihoods.
Ms Lopi said the gathering would also provide an opportunity for engagement with international cooperating partners and the donor community on financing mechanisms for post-disaster recovery and resilience building.
“The meeting will further serve as a platform for Ministers to engage with International Cooperating Partners and the Donor Community on investment for post-disaster recovery for a resilient region,” she said.
She said the SADC Secretariat would also convene a Ministerial Roundtable on resilient recovery on the sidelines of the meeting.
“The Roundtable is convened as a strategic political and investment platform to reposition disaster recovery as an enabler of resilience, economic transformation, and regional integration,” said Ms Lopi.
Ahead of the ministerial meeting, senior officials responsible for disaster risk management from SADC member states will meet from May 11 to 13 at the Great Zimbabwe Hotel in Masvingo to deliberate on technical and policy matters before recommendations are tabled before ministers-@muponderichard
