Online Reporter
Samuel Kadungure
News Editor
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) has launched a standby Emergency Response Team to provide timely assistance to member states facing natural and human-induced disasters.
This was announced by Local Government and Public Works Minister, Honourable Daniel Garwe at the opening of the SADC Emergency Response Team training in Nyanga this morning.
Minister Garwe, represented by his deputy, Engineer Benjamin Kabikira, emphasised the region’s growing vulnerability to disasters.
“We are witnessing trends indicating that both natural and human induced hazards are becoming more frequent and complex to manage, causing humanitarian challenges all over the world. This necessitated the region to make a decision to establish a standby ERT to facilitate timeous response to distress calls from member states. With the SADC Humanitarian Operations Centre (SHOC) in operation and the SADC Secretariat coordinating, it is our hope as a region that this initiative will help minimise the losses associated with disasters, and also ensuring well-coordinated response mechanisms and operations,” said Minister Garwe.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza said Zimbabwe, like many SADC nations, continues to grapple with severe natural and human-induced disasters.
Minister Mugadza said these experiences have profoundly shaped our approach to disaster management, highlighting the critical need for preparedness, swift response, and robust recovery mechanisms.
“Under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, the President, Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe has embraced a proactive and comprehensive stance on disaster management. Our President has consistently reiterated that no Zimbabwean must succumb or die from hunger or any disaster. This guiding principle underpins our national disaster risk reduction strategies and responses – calling for a “whole-of-government” approach and fostering partnerships with all stakeholders, from local communities to international partners.
“The President’s decisive declarations of national disasters, such as those for the recent El Niño-induced drought and during the Covid-19 pandemic, demonstrate a firm commitment to mobilizing all necessary resources to protect our citizens and ensure their well-being,” said Minister Mugadza.
He said the country recognises that disaster management is a collective responsibility that transcends national borders.
