23 May 2023, Gaborone, Botswana: The Committee of Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will meet in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 25, 2023 to review progress on the operationalisation of SADC activities aimed at strengthening the region’s preparedness to address disaster risks and mitigating the impacts of disasters. The Ministers will also sign the Intergovernmental Memorandum of Agreement amongst SADC Member States for the Establishment of the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC).
The meeting will receive reports on implementation of disaster risk management programmes as well as the status of the implementation of the decisions of SADC Summit of Heads of State and the SADC Council of Ministers.
His Excellency, Peter Kazadi Kankolongo, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Security of the Democratic Republic of Congo will preside over the meeting in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Committee of SADC Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management and will be supported by Ms. Angèle Makombo N'tumba, SADC Deputy Executive Secretary responsible for Regional Integration who will be representing the Executive Secretary of SADC, His Excellency Mr Elias M. Magosi.
During the meeting, the Ministers will discuss, among other issues, the development and operationalisation of the regional disaster risk financing facility and the operationalisation of the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre, which is based in Mozambique, and is aimed at coordinating humanitarian and emergency support to Member States affected by disasters.
The Ministers will consider the draft SADC Disaster Risk Management Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2030 as well as the Regional Multi-Hazard Planning Framework 2022-2030 and SADC Regional Multi-Hazard Contingency Plan 2022-2023.
Ministers will further review the status of implementation of the activities of the Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis Programme including the development of the SADC (RVAA) Strategic Plan 2023-2030, coordination and management the RVAA System.
The meeting of the Committee of SADC Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management will be preceded by the Meeting of SADC Senior Officials Responsible for Disaster Risk Management on 23 - 24 May 2023.
