Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare
Herald Correspondent
THE Government, in partnership with the World Food Programme, is moving to establish a humanitarian staging area along the Beira Corridor and a network of satellite hubs across the country in a major push to strengthen national disaster preparedness and emergency response systems.
The initiative is part of an expanding partnership between Government and the UN agency aimed at improving logistical readiness and ensuring faster, more coordinated responses to disasters.
Speaking at a vehicle handover ceremony in Harare yesterday, Local Government and Public Works Deputy Minister Albert Mavhunga said the development comes at a critical time as Zimbabwe continues to face increasing climate-induced shocks, including floods, droughts and other emergencies.
“Zimbabwe continues to experience a wide range of hazards, including floods, droughts and other shocks, which demand a well-coordinated and adequately resourced response system,” he said.
Officials said the proposed humanitarian staging area along the Beira Corridor, a strategic regional trade and logistics route linking Zimbabwe to the Mozambican port city of Beira, will act as a central hub for pre-positioning emergency supplies and coordinating rapid response efforts.
In addition, four satellite hubs are set to be established across the country to decentralise disaster response operations and improve reach, particularly in hazard-prone and hard-to-access areas.
The Department of Civil Protection is expected to play a central role in managing the facilities, which will enhance the country’s capacity to conduct rapid assessments, deploy teams and coordinate interventions during emergencies.
WFP Zimbabwe representative and country director Ms Barbara Clemens said the initiative is designed to strengthen national systems rather than replace them, in line with global best practice on disaster risk management.
“Stronger national systems mean stronger community resilience. Everything we do is designed to reinforce Government capacity — to support, not substitute; to enhance, not replace,” she said.
The hubs, she said, will complement ongoing efforts to strengthen early warning systems, simulation exercises and anticipatory action frameworks, as Zimbabwe intensifies its disaster preparedness strategy.
The Government said the enhanced logistical infrastructure will support key national programmes, including the upcoming national disaster risk profiling exercise, which aims to improve evidence-based planning and response.
The development is aligned with Zimbabwe’s broader policy framework, including National Development Strategy 2 and Vision 2030.
