2nd Virtual Africa Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction

The second virtual meeting of the Africa Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (AWGDRR) was held on Thursday, 22 October 2020 from 14:30-18:15 hrs.

In attendance was Ms. Cristelle Pratt, the Assistant Secretary General for the Environment and Climate Action from the Organization of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), who delivered the keynote address.

Over 60 participants from member organizations participated in the meeting. They included, Member States (MS), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), African Union Commission (AUC), African Development Bank, UN agencies, the World Bank Group, civil society organizations, Africa Science and Technology Advisory Group (AfSTAG), Africa Youth Advisory Board (AYAB). Donors attending included, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The main objective of the meeting was to discuss progress and next steps towards addressing priorities identified by Member States and Regional Economic Communities at the first virtual meeting of AWGDRR to effectively prepare, respond and recover from COVID-19 and other hazards.

The meeting was also an opportunity for the AWGDRR to receive updates and discuss progress and next steps with respect to the development of disaster risk reduction strategies and plans, as well as on the use of the online Sendai Framework Monitor in monitoring and reporting progress in the implementation of such strategies. The meeting was chaired by the African Union Commission, with UNDRR served as the Secretariat.