Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Bhebhe in Victoria Falls
ZIMBABWE, as current chair of the regional bloc, the Southern African Development Community should use its tenure to spearhead tackling current El-Nino induced drought effects in the region, a cabinet minister has said.
President Mnangagwa assumed the chairperson of SADC in Harare.
Addressing delegates to the Committee of SADC Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management in Victoria Falls on Wednesday, Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe said Zimbabwe shoud be in the forefront of disaster risk management.
Minister Garwe is the Chairperson of the Committee of SADC Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management.
“As you are aware, Zimbabwe recently assumed the Chairmanship of SADC hence it is incumbent upon the current Chairperson, His Excellency Dr E.D. Mnangagwa to spearhead all developmental issues as well as tackling the effects the current El-Nino induced drought in our Member States,” said Minister Garwe.
” We are urged to harness our National and Regional efforts to manage disaster risk, continue to improve on Disaster Risk Reduction capacity and raise awareness to risk and strengthen preparedness.”
He stressed to delegates from the region that disaster risk reduction issues have become a pressing international agenda with recognition that efforts to reduce disaster risks must embrace climate change and be systematically integrated into policies, plans and programming for sustainable development.
” If disaster risk reduction is not prioritised at the highest echelon, all our endeavours in achieving Sustainable Development Goals will go to waste as disasters can divert our development resources towards humanitarian assistance,” he noted.
Therefore, Minister Garwe said investment in resilience projects such as irrigation schemes, water harvesting techniques, livelihood diversification programmes, rural
industrialisation projects among others is key towards achieving a disaster-proof region.
“As we discuss throughout this important gathering, let us remember that all our effort should be aimed at “Leaving no one and no place behind” as espoused by The SADC Chairperson, His
Excellency Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa.”
Minister Garwe chronicled the regions recent disasters.
In 2019 Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi experienced one of the most devastating cyclonic events which left scores of people dead and a significant number homeless.
Critical sector such as Health, Education, Energy, Communication and Transport among others were crippled requiring a multi-sectoral intervention to reconstruct and rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure.
In 2023, Malawi and Madagascar were hit by Cyclone Freddy which caused a lot of infrastructural damages and left a trail of destruction of properties leaving many people dead and others homeless or injured.
In January 2024 Tropical Cyclones Gamanek, Filipo and Belal passed through Mauritius and Madagascar bringing with them heavy rains and strong winds that resulted in loss of lives, displacement of people and damage to infrastructure and property.
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