São Tomé and Príncipe transforms their EW4All commitments into action
On 5 March 2026, São Tomé and Príncipe released its Early Warnings for All (EW4All) roadmap to establish inclusive and participative early warning systems. The roadmap benefited from the high-level political support and government ownership, paving the way to effectiveness and sustainability.
Since December 2024, São Tomé and Príncipe has been a part of the United Nations Secretary-General’s EW4All initiative, and authorities have been working to establish institutional commitments and priorities to ensure that national early warnings can reach and protect all citizens. This achievement has been made possible with the financial support of Portuguese Cooperation and the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative, and technical support from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
São Tomé and Príncipe lies off the coast of West Africa. It is acutely vulnerable to climate-related hazards. The country is exposed to extreme flooding, which currently affects around 30,000 people each year. The country experiences other severe weather events, including heavy rainfall, which often triggers floods and landslides. Its steep topography also places communities and infrastructure along coastlines and waterways, where they are vulnerable to nature’s extremes. These hazards, which already threaten thousands of lives and livelihoods each year, are worsening under a changing climate. The country also has a fragile economy that is constantly threatened by disasters. Its economy is in fact the smallest in Africa. These circumstances underscore the urgent need for robust multi-risk early warning systems to protect the population and strengthen national resilience.
The roadmap was finalized and validated during a workshop held in São Tomé City from 3 to 5 March 2026. The event brought together approximately 80 participants, including core governmental early warning institutions and civil society organizations to give feedback on the national roadmap, and finalise the plan. A key reason for bringing a large variety of national stakeholders together was to consolidate political, institutional, and financial commitments for the implementation of São Tomé and Príncipe’s multi-hazard early warning system. A resource mobilization plan was also agreed upon to guide implementation between 2026 and 2028 and national entities and development partners committed to strengthening the country’s early warning system, ensuring that the initiative moves forward with broad support.
The roadmap also outlines measures for building local resilience and capacities for early warning and action. Its implementation will build on support provided by UNDRR and Portuguese Cooperation in 2025 to local authorities in São Tomé and Príncipe’s to develop local resilience strategies under the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative. Throughout 2026, UNDRR, with continued support from Portugues Cooperation, will support the Água Grande municipality to finalize and implement its local DRR strategy and early warning action components to build the city’s resilience to climate disasters.
The event marked a decisive step in consolidating the country’s and its people’s commitment to share responsibility for ensuring that every person is protected by multi-hazard early warning systems by the end of 2027.
