Managing transboundary water risks in the Horn of Africa

From 9 to 13 December 2024 in Kampala, Uganda, experts from disaster management, meteorology, and hydrology authorities from across the region gathered to address the transboundary challenges posed by drought and flood in the Horn of Africa. 

Organized by UNDRR in collaboration with IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) and supported by the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Greater Horn of Africa project, the event forged stronger collaboration between countries and regional entities in the region that share transboundary risks to strengthen early warning systems. 

Three-quarters of the people in the Horn of Africa live within river basins and over aquifers that are shared by two or more countries. The region lacks transboundary river basin frameworks with institutional arrangements. 

“Information sharing is key for effective management of our regional transboundary resources” (- Jully Ouma, IGAD/ICPAC)

Against this backdrop, the workshop on “Strengthening Early Warning and Early Action Systems for Meteorological, Hydrological, and Climate Extremes” united six countries: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda to explore a future of shared solutions. 

Participants delved into flood forecasting and drought monitoring, exploring tools like the ICPAC East Africa Drought Watch, but also data needs, and severe forecasting. 

Participants worked toward developing a draft framework for transboundary cooperation, establishing a foundation for real-time data exchange and coordinated risk management efforts. Discussions on information-sharing protocols marked a critical step in creating a cohesive platform for disaster risk data, while sessions strengthened technical capacities in flood and drought modeling.

“Transboundary Risks required that partners break the walls and barriers by working together across the board and on aspects of transboundary cooperation and collaboration” – Benjamin Ssekamuli, Hydrologist 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).