The Deputy Executive Secretary for Corporate Affairs of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Dr. Judith Kateera has called for greater investment in long term resilience and strengthened disaster financing mechanisms to reduce losses and help countries recover from disasters more quickly.
Dr. Kateera said this at the inaugural International Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in Africa held in Maputo, Republic of Mozambique, from 13 to 15 October 2026 under the theme: “Scaling Proactive Governance and Strategic Investment for Disaster Risk Reduction and a Resilient Africa.”
Dr. Kateera highlighted the growing threat posed by floods, droughts, tropical cyclones, wildfires, epidemics, and other hazards that continue to threaten lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, food security, public finances and economic development.
"We must approach disaster risk management not merely as an emergency expenditure, but as a productive capital investment that generates tangible economic returns," she said.
She reaffirmed SADC’s commitment to supporting Member States in enhancing preparedness, reducing vulnerabilities and building resilient communities capable of withstanding future shocks.
The Conference was officially opened by His Excellency Daniel Fransico Chapo, President of the Republic of Mozambique and African Union Champion for Disaster Risk Management who emphasised the urgent need to mobilise resources and strengthen early warning systems, invest in resilient infrastructure and improve community preparedness.
The President underscored the importance of placing communities at the centre of disaster response efforts by equipping them with the necessary resources, response plans, information and capacity-building support.
The African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, His Excellency Mr. Moses Vilakati, called on African governments to translate commitments on disaster risk reduction into concrete action, stressing the need for stronger governance, strategic investment and sustainable financing to advance disaster risk reduction and strengthen early warning systems.
"Investing in resilience is not a cost, but an essential safeguard for our economies, communities and development gains," Vilakati said.
On the sidelines of the conference, Dr. Kateera and the SADC Delegation met the President of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) in Mozambique, Her Excellency Luisa Celma Caetano Meque to discuss matters relating to regional preparedness for the anticipated El Niño phenomenon forecast for the 2026-2027 season.
The meeting focused on strengthening preparedness and response measures to mitigate the potential socio-economic impacts of the expected climate phenomenon. The two discussed the need for strengthening the SADC Humanitarian Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC) through sustainable and innovative resource mobilisation.
SADC also hosted a webinar under the theme: “From Early Warning to Early Action: Learning from Country-Level Anticipatory Action Activations” where Member States shared their experiences on the activation of anticipatory actions and identified practical opportunities to strengthen Anticipatory Action systems across the SADC region.
The Conference adopted a Ministerial Communique which calls for accelerated implementation of disaster risk reduction commitments, stronger partnerships and increased investment in resilience-building initiatives across Africa.
