Your Excellences; All Protocols Observed
On behalf of East African Community (EAC), it gives me great pleasure to address this occasion of the Eighth High-Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction which was preceded by the Ninth Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction on 22 and 23 October 2024 under the theme “Act Now for the Resilient Africa We Want”:
We are all aware of the challenges the continent is facing including the growing severity and frequency of climate-related disasters and the increasing vulnerabilities of Member States, especially small island developing States, landlocked developing countries and least developed countries to such disasters and the resulting negative effects on the economies and development.
The extreme climate events triggered by El Niño Southern Oscillation and La Nina have negative impacts on the continent socio-economic development agenda.
The systemic nature of risk illustrated by climate-induced, interconnected and simultaneous disasters i.e. droughts, floods, pests, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides and their cascading and devastating impacts which includes loss of lives and livelihoods, damage to infrastructure, displacement of people.
The climate induced risks and impacts are exacerbated by environmental degradation, unplanned and rapid urbanization, poverty and conflicts, including disproportionate vulnerability and exposure of women and girls, all of which undermine efforts to achieve national and regional development plans as well as 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063, The Africa We Want.
The increase in the frequency of the extreme weather events calls for the urgent need to invest more in disaster risk reduction, preparedness, early warning and early and anticipatory actions as well as scaling up climate adaptation financing across the continent.
I wish to congratulate the government of the Republic of Namibia for hosting and excellent organization of the meeting. I also thank the African Union Commission and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction for their continued coordination and support in the implementation and monitoring the progresses toward achieving the goal and targets set out in the Sendai Framework and the Programme of Action.
The EAC is a regional intergovernmental organization of the Republics of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Somalia, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. EAC strives to improve the quality of life of its citizens through increased trade and productivity, harmonization of policies, programmes, standards and legal instruments and most importantly safeguarding the region’s rich and diverse aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The region is endowed with a large variety of natural resources and income earners majorly from agriculture and livestock production, fisheries, mining, wildlife and tourism.
As it is in the case of Africa, EAC is prone to multiple disasters, high vulnerability to climate change compounded by low coping and adaptive capacities. Disasters are increasing in number, frequency and severity in the region because of escalation of hazards related to hydro-meteorological events such as droughts, floods, landslides and hailstorms among others. These hazards are predicted to increase with climate change and natural phenomena that will further exacerbate associated disasters in the region.
EAC recognize development may have negative impacts on the environment and natural resources leading to the degradation of the environment and depletion of natural resources and that a clean and healthy environment is a prerequisite for sustainable development (Chapter 19 of the EAC treaty). EAC Partner States agreed to take measures to address the challenges of climate change, control transboundary air, land and water pollution arising from developmental activities. The EAC Partner States are also signatories to various International Environment Agreements. This attests the commitment of EAC region to achieve the sustainable development agenda.
The EAC Vision 2050 articulates the dreams and aspirations of the East African peoples (for a future of a prosperous, competitive, secure, stable and politically-united East Africa).The region considers a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty reduction. The Partner States emphasizes in contributing to reducing poverty as well as achieving sustained economic growth, enhancing social inclusion, improving human welfare and creating opportunities for employment and decent work for all, while maintaining the healthy functioning of the regional ecosystems.
EAC stands ready to partner with the international community in ensuring the full implementation of the session outcome. EAC is embarking on the implementation of its 6th Development Strategy, that intends to formulate and implement strategies and projects that take full advantage of the existing and emerging regional and global opportunities, as well as optimize compliance with its associated continental and global development obligations – including, inter alia, within the framework of the AU Agenda 2063 and the UN post-2015 Global Sustainable Development Agenda, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Paris Agreement.
EAC wishes the international community to invest in the removal of environmental risks to human and environment in a more inclusive and integrated programmes under productive, Social and infrastructure Sectors including adaptation as a priority and hence the need for enhancing resilience to the communities in the region.
In conclusion, I urge Member States, Regional Economic Communities and the African Union Commission to enhance collaboration and synergies between hydro-meteorological early warning, anticipatory action and climate forecast systems and conflict early warning systems.
I also call upon the United Nations and other international and regional organisations to mainstream disaster risk reduction in their development, assistance programmes and infrastructure financing and to scale up global and regional partnerships for infrastructure resilience and risk reduction in all sectors.
I thank you all for your kind attention.