Tinaye Agere
Mukudzei Chingwere in Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe has urged fellow Sadc Member States to strengthen their disaster early warning systems to empower communities to make informed decisions to minimise the impact of disasters.
Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga said this at the fifth Ordinary Meeting of the Sadc Committee of Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management in Victoria Falls this Wednesday morning.
The meeting has been convened to review progress on implementing Sadc programmes and activities aimed at strengthening the region’s preparedness for disaster management.
“I urge Member States to strengthen their early warning systems to empower communities to make informed decisions to minimise the impact of disasters,” said VP Chiwenga.
“The recurrence of natural disasters in the region, at accelerated frequency, requires vigilance and pro-activeness, instead of only reacting when disasters occur.
“Disaster preparedness is the function of robust early warning systems, proper coordination, and capacitation of structures for effective disaster risk management.
“In the same stride, other components that constitute the disaster management gamut such as response, recovery, reconstruction, and resilience-building should not be overlooked.”
Online Reporter