This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
Climate change disasters have become a pressing concern in Africa, with devastating consequences for communities and economies. In response, regional blocs are stepping up their efforts to develop more effective and resilient disaster response mechanisms.
According to experts, fragmented approaches to disaster management can come with significant economic and social costs. In contrast, coordinated regional responses can provide greater resilience and better outcomes for affected communities.
One notable example is the Regional Resilience Initiative on climate change, launched in 2017 by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa). The initiative aims to support member states in strengthening their policy coordination mechanisms and developing regional policies to address climate change risks.
Dr. Mclay Kanyangarara, Comesa's climate change coordinator, emphasized the importance of interconnected systems in managing risks and shocks. 'Natural and economic systems are interconnected at the national and regional levels, hence impact on one affects the others,' he noted.
Comesa countries face similar threats of climate change, droughts, flooding, and disease outbreaks, among others. To address these challenges, regional economic communities must prioritize the development of interconnected systems, such as shared water courses, energy, transport, communications, and financial systems.
Experts argue that regional blocs are better positioned to support resilience building in their regions, citing the example of the devastating cyclone Idai and Kenneth in southern Africa. The African Union's (AU) response to these disasters has been criticized as ineffective, leading regional blocs to develop their own response mechanisms.
Dr. Femi Amao, a lecturer at the University of Sussex, noted that the AU's African Risk Capacity initiative, established in 2012, does not yet cover cyclone disasters. As a result, countries affected by climate change disasters often look to the international community for relief and response.
