Richard Muponde
Zimpapers Politics Hub
MINISTERS responsible for Disaster Risk Management from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will meet virtually tomorrow to assess the region’s preparedness for the 2026/27 disaster season amid forecasts of strengthening El Niño conditions that could trigger significant humanitarian and socio-economic challenges.
The Seventh Ordinary Meeting of the Committee of Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management will bring together ministers from member states, senior government officials, humanitarian and development partners, research institutions, and technical experts.
The meeting will be officially opened and chaired by South Africa’s Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Honourable Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa, who is the current chairperson of the committee, supported by SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi.
In a statement, SADC Head of Communication and Public Relations Ms Barbra Lopi said the meeting would provide an important platform for strengthening regional coordination and preparedness against anticipated climate-related disasters.
She said discussions would be guided by the 2026/27 Seasonal Climate Outlook, which points to prevailing El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific that are expected to intensify, potentially developing into a strong to very strong event.
“The meeting will focus on the state of disaster preparedness for the 2026/27 season, particularly in view of prevailing El Niño conditions and their anticipated implications for the region,” said Ms Lopi.
Ministers will receive updates on the 2025/26 rainfall season and its implications for food and livelihood security, alongside assessments of the forthcoming agricultural season.
A major item on the agenda will be the coordination of humanitarian relief supplies across the region, including the implementation of the Regional Prepositioning Strategy, designed to improve logistics preparedness and ensure emergency supplies are positioned ahead of anticipated hazards.
The ministers will also consider the 2026 Regional Synthesis Report on the State of Food and Nutrition Security in SADC, providing evidence to guide vulnerability assessments, resource mobilisation, and anticipatory interventions.
Another key agenda item is the SADC Multi-Hazard Regional Anticipatory Action Framework 2026–2030, which seeks to strengthen community resilience through forecast-based interventions, agreed response protocols, and pre-arranged financing.
The full operationalisation of the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC) will also come under scrutiny to enhance the region’s capacity to anticipate, coordinate, and respond to emergencies.
The ministerial meeting will be preceded by a virtual meeting of senior officials on Wednesday.
SADC said the engagements reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to protecting lives, livelihoods, and development gains through stronger cooperation and disaster resilience.
