The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region joins the rest of the World in commemorating the International Disaster Risk Reduction Day, designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 44/236 to be commemorated on 13th October every year. On this day, the world comes together to promote risk awareness, reduction, preparedness and response.
The SADC Region has endured five years of repeated disasters. In this period, the region has witnessed loss of lives, destruction of critical infrastructure and our resilience has been tested to the core. SADC welcomes the hosting of the International Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Maputo, Mozambique from 12-15 October 2026 where stakeholders will come together to accelerate the implementation of continental and global commitments.
This year's theme, "Resilience Starts at Home," is rooted in the people-centred focus of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. It aligns with the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum, the New Urban Agenda’s commitment to adequate, safe, and affordable housing, and the Sustainable Development Goal 11 of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
This theme touches the very foundation on which disaster response, recovery and resilience are rooted - our homes. Disasters are felt at home. They are reflected in the grandmother who watches floodwaters sweep through the house she spent decades building. They are about the farmer who stands helplessly in a field of withered crops due to prolonged dry conditions.
Following the devastation caused by Cyclone Freddy in 2023, we witnessed firsthand the human cost of disasters. Houses that people had spent years, sometimes decades, building washed away in a matter of days. For many of the affected families, those homes represented a lifetime of savings, sacrifice and hope. They were more than just structures that provided shelter for them, but places where families found security and belonging.
To achieve a resilient home, we must adopt a whole-of-society approach. Everyone must be involved. While Governments strengthen building standards, enforce risk-informed land-use planning and expand investment in resilient housing, local authorities must ensure that settlements and infrastructure are planned with future climate risks in mind. The private sector must innovate and invest in affordable, resilient housing solutions.
Communities must actively participate in preparedness efforts and heed early warning information. At home, people must make well informed decisions. They must be aware that a house built in a floodplain, or low-lying areas cannot provide adequate safety in times of flooding. They must be prepared to relocate to safer places for their own safety.
As we mark this day, SADC underscores the following key messages:
Safe housing should be a right, not a privilege. Every family deserves a home that can withstand disasters they face.
Women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities often bear the heaviest burden of disasters. We must not leave these people behind in our disaster risk management efforts
Disasters destroy more than buildings, infrastructure and farms. They take away lives, livelihoods, and opportunities. A home must be the centre of our resilience efforts.
Investing in resilience today costs far less than rebuilding tomorrow.
With all projections pointing to El Niño event this season and increasing frequency and intensity of disasters in the years ahead, let us act now to protect lives, safeguard development, and secure a better tomorrow for everyone. If every home becomes more resilient, the SADC Region will collectively be stronger, safer, and better positioned to achieve the aspirations of SADC Vision 2050.
