Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Early Action (AMHEWAS) increases early-warning products, moves to strengthen disaster preparedness further

The African Union Commission (AUC), with support from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), CIMA Research Foundation, and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), through the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning  System for Early Action (AMHEWAS) Programme is holding the 3rd coordination and co-production meeting for AMHEWAS products to enhance interoperability of situation rooms in Kampala, Uganda from 10th – 13th April 2025. The meeting is on the margins of the 22nd session of the Africa Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction, scheduled for 15 – 17 April 2025.

Coordination and coproduction meetings involve institutions that are part of the AMHEWAS network, which co-produce different products under the AMHEWAS Programme to be well coordinated to ensure seamless production of products with efficiency without duplication. The meeting is further expected to discuss the current and future products to avoid duplication of efforts. Some products co-produced under AMHEWAS include Early Warning bulletins such as the Continental Watch, disaster situation reports, the Drought Watch, and wildfire bulletins.

The yearly event is organized to address and discuss the implementation mechanism of the AMHEWAS programme at all levels in the continent, articulate the effective mechanisms for the co-production of AMHEWAS products between continental, regional, and country levels, take stock of the progress of implementing the AMHEWAS programme activities on the continent, and showcase the innovation of new products. The meeting is expected to accelerate the implementation of the AMHEWAS programme on the continent through enhanced collaboration and the innovation of new early-warning products.

Ms Teresa Pinto, AUC Technical Coordinator for Disaster Risk Reduction, opened the meeting on behalf of Mr Harsen Nyambe, AUC Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE). Ms. Pinto highlighted the importance and relevance of the AMHEWAS Programme in reducing losses attributed to disasters on the continent. She further expressed her concerns about the increase in disaster events on the continent and called for unified and intensified efforts, specifically on Early Warning systems, to reduce disaster losses.

Mr Jason Muriki, representing the IGAD Climate Predictions and Applications Centre (ICPAC), noted that the frequency and severity of interconnected disasters are rising on the continent. He further stated that timely and actionable early warning is critical but must be based on scientific knowledge to be meaningful. Mr Muriki implored the AMHEWAS network to concentrate on the safety and survival of our communities, which depend on the efficacy of the systems. He further urged the meeting to migrate from early warning to early action.

Mr. Marco Massabo, the Early Warning and Disaster Risk Knowledge Coordinator at UNDRR, reiterated the importance of the AMHEWAS programme in ensuring people have access to early warning systems that inform early action complemented by the United Nations Secretary-General’s call for the Early Warning for All Initiative.

Technical experts are participating in the event. They are drawn from Regional Economic Communities, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Member States participants are pooled from Tanzania, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, and Ivory Coast. Partners institutions represented in the meeting include the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the CIMA Research Foundation, and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).