Namibia Conference discussed enhancing resilience to drought in Africa

From crisis response towards strategic and sustainable approach

drought resilience conference whd18 August 2016, Windhoek - A first African Drought Conference was held under the auspices of the African Union in Windhoek, Namibia, from 15-18 August, as a follow-up to the High-level Meeting on National Drought Policies (HMNDP), organized by FAO, WMO and UNCCD Secretariat, in 2013, in Geneva, Switzerland.

It shed the spotlight on the necessity for Africa to place a “Strategic Framework for Drought Risk Management and Enhancing Resilience in Africa” high on its development agenda.

The conference was organized by the Government of Namibia and UNCCD Secretariat, with FAO’s support, and attended by over 300 participants, including country delegates, regional economic groups as well as development organizations and financing agencies.

Addressing a High-level Segment of the First African Drought Conference on “Enhancing Resilience to Drought Events on the African Continent”, Namibian President Dr. Hage Geingob called on partners to collaborate in drought management and serve the needs of communities and farmers. He gave the assurance of the Government of Namibia that it will continue to work with FAO in this area.

In a speech read on behalf of the Director-General of FAO, José Graziano da Silva, FAO Representative in Namibia, Mr Babagana Ahmadu, warned of dire consequences if Africa failed to be proactive in drought management, adding that “failure to adopt proactive drought risk management policies would jeopardize our efforts to meet the challenge of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Malabo Commitments.” Please, click here to continue reading....

Drought Resilience Declaration

 

The African Drought Conference hosted by the government of Namibia ended with adaption of “The Windhoek Declaration for Enhancing Resilience to Drought in Africa” on 19 August. The declaration states the commitments to implement the Strategic Framework for Drought Risk Management and Enhancing Resilience in Africa; to establish a continent-wide African Network with national institutions for Drought Monitoring and Early Warning Systems; and to convene biennial African Drought Conference to be held concurrently with the African Drylands Week to consider progress of the implementation of the Strategy adopted in Windhoek in August 2016, in order to promote investment among others.