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ECOWAS Regional Workshop on Information Sharing and Early warning Coordination Mechanisms and DRR

Implementation of the ECOWAS Policy and Action Plan on DRR. ECOWAS Regional Workshop on Information Sharing and Early warning Coordination Mechanisms and DRR November 11-14 Niamey; Niger Humanitarian and Social Affairs Disaster Risk Reduction Division, ECOWAS Commission, Abuja. (2013).

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ECOWAS Regional Workshop on Information Sharing and Early warning Coordination Mechanisms and DRR

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  1. Implementation of the ECOWAS Policy and Action Plan on DRR ECOWAS Regional Workshop on Information Sharing and Early warning Coordination Mechanisms and DRR November 11-14 Niamey; Niger Humanitarian and Social Affairs Disaster Risk Reduction Division, ECOWAS Commission, Abuja. (2013)

  2. CONTENTS • General Background of Disaster Trends in West Africa • Impact of Flood Disasters in West Africa • Other forms of Disasters in West Africa • ECOWAS Policy and Plan of Action on DRR • Major Achievements on the Implementation of the Policy in West Africa • Major Challenges of Implementing DRR in West Africa • Conclusion-Wayforward

  3. THE 15 MEMBER STATES OF ECOWAS Benin Liberia Burkina Faso Mali CapeVerde Niger Coted’Ivoire Nigeria The Gambia Senegal Ghana SierraLeone Guinea Togo Guinea Bissau 3

  4. Objective of ECOWAS Commission The need to promote, foster and accelerate the economic and social development of Member States in order to improve the living standards of West African people ………. in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) (ECOWAS vision 2020)

  5. General Background of Disaster Trends in West Africa • Due to increasing vulnerability of population to natural and man made Hazards, Disasters have continued to be on the increase in West Africa in last few decades. • In this case, Climatological and Hydrological hazards have dominated the disaster profile of West Africa, affecting, on average, around 12.5 million people per year since 2008.

  6. General Background of Disaster Trends in West Africa Available statistics shows that reported cases of disasters in West Africa indicate that approximately 59% were triggered by hydrological hazards (Floods), 24% by droughts, and 16% by extreme temperature. Nearly 85 % of Economic Losses from Natural Disasters are related to Floods and Drought In West Africa .

  7. Impact of Flood Disasters in West Afria From 2008 through 2012, West African countries have experienced recurrence of torrential rainfall. The rainy seasons during this period were marked with Flood Disasters raging from: Destruction of Basic Infrastructure and Livelihoods of the people in the urban and rural settlement. Flooding by intensive and heavy rainfall also resulted to Dams over-flow and trans-national issues between countries in the region

  8. Other Forms of Disasters in West Africa Low-lying mega-deltas such as the Niger-Delta (Nigeria), Dakar (Senegal), Banjul (Gambia) , and small islands such as, Cape Verde, will be especially vulnerable to such flooding Recent research by the World Bank indicates that intensified storm surges and sea-level rise associated with global climate change will significantly affect several coastal countries: Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Liberia, Senegal, Benin, Togo.

  9. Other form of Disasters in West Africa Malaria, Meningitis Pandemics, HIV/AIDS Over flow of Irrigation Dams Conflicts

  10. Other form of Disasters in West Africa Wind storms Widespread Deforestation and Locust infestation Technological Hazards Bush Burning

  11. Impact of Disasters in West Africa • These have often resulted in Humanitarian Crises such as: • internal displacement of population, refugees and • Diversion of resources towards humanitarian relief for affected population .

  12. >Given the increasing prominence and severity of disasters , due in part to climate change and vulnerability of affected population Humanitarian impact resulting from these disasters have been on the increase over the past three decades in West Africa ECOWAS DRR POLICY ECOWAS DRR Policy was developed and adopted by ECOWAS Heads of State > For ECOWAS, DRR also means complementing emergency response and preparedness with targeted prevention activities before disaster strikes > Commitments by various stakeholders to Disaster Risk Reduction > From the Global/Regional framework (HYOGO/AU Strategy)

  13. Framework for Disaster Reduction (HFA): 2005-2015 Chapter III: Priorities 1. Policies, institutional and legal frameworks: ensure that disaster risk is a national and a local priority with a strong institutional basis for implementation. 2. Risk identification:Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning. 3. Knowledge management:Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels. 4. Reduce the underlying risk factors(environmental mgt, food security, gender approach, land-use planning, etc.). 5. Strengthen disaster preparedness Chapter IV: Implementation and Follow-up

  14. ECOWAS DISASTER RISK REDUCTION POLICY AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION (2010-2015) Adopted by ECOWAS Head of State Summitheld in Ouagadougou au Burkina Faso, February 17, 2007

  15. Objectives of the Policy

  16. ECOWAS DRR Plan of Action

  17. Achievements in the Implementation of the HFA and ECOWAS Policy • HFA 1# Policies, institutional and legal frameworks: • A regional policy for disaster risk reduction adopted by the ECOWAS Heads of State in 2007 and a Plan of Action (2010-2015) has been developed and adopted in October 2009 by Member States • ECOWAS has developed and adopted a new guideline for strengthening DRR platforms in its member States. • Base on this guideline, ECOWAS has committed resources to support Member States in Establishing and Strengthening National Platforms for DRR

  18. Achievements in the Implementation of the HFA and ECOWAS Policy • HFA 2# Risk identification: • ECOWAS in collaboration with UNISDR and WB/GFDRR has jointly organised the first regional training workshop on risk assessment, in West Africa in November 2009 • ECOWAS and UNDP/BCPR, has organised a training workshop and the implementation of Systematic Inventory and Evaluation for Risk Assessment (SIERA) methodologies in 4 Member States • In the same line, and in collaboration with the World Bank/GFDRR, a study has been conducted on the impacts of trans-national floods in West Africa • There is in consultation to put in place Regional Early Warning and Response Network (ECOWARN), mechanisms for conflict and natural disasters

  19. Achievements in the Implementation of the HFA and ECOWAS Policy • HFA 3# Knowledge management: • ECOWAS encourages member States to develop and strengthen national instruments for information sharing and exchange of best practices • ECOWAS in collaboration with UNISDR and the WB/GFDRR, developed a hydro-climatic data sharing protocol agreement between its Member States in October 2010 • Capacity Assessment of specialised regional institutions in West Africa already complemented for more cooperation to support DRR programmes in Member States • ECOWAS in Collaboration with HFP Kings College London under the FOREWARN Initiative commenced South-South exchange of good practice between West Africa and South Asia

  20. ECOWAS PROGRESS OF IMPLEMENTING THE HFA HFA 4# Reduce the underlying risk factors (environmental mgt, food security, gender approach, land-use planning, etc.) ECOWAS has developed a Sub-regional programme to reduce vulnerability to Climate Change in West Africa in order to address climate challenges and reduce the social, economic and environmental impacts of the expected climate changes in West Africa ECOWAS has developed a regional framework for the Adaptation of West African agriculture to Climate as part of the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP). ECOWAS has developed a Regional Strategy on poverty reduction in West Africa. HFA 5# Strengthen Disaster Preparedness for Effective Response at all levels • A regional humanitarian policy and action plan has been put in place • An Emergency Humanitarian Relief Mechanism has been put in place in order to support ECOWAS Member States affected by natural disasters such as floods. • Many countries in the sub-region have already benefited from that Emergency fund following the devastating floods that affected the region in 2009 and 2010. • ECOWAS is currently working on the establishment of Regional Humanitarian Depot in Bamako Mali

  21. MAJOR CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTING DRR IN WEST AFRICA Most National and Regional development plans and policies do not clearly link with Disaster Risk Reduction. Hence there is limited resources (budgetary) (human) (materials) for DRR Mostly, information systems are not geared towards generating, analysing and disseminating information on disasters. Hence, effective information sharing house on Disaster Risk Reduction does not exist in the sub-region. Early warning systems could contribute positively to Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Preparation and Response in the sub-region but the integration of early warning into Disaster Management Circle (forecasting, preparedness, mitigation and response) is limited.

  22. Way Foreward Post HFA 2015 • Increase financial investment and resources into DRR (private sectors) • Improve technology • Integrate DRR into Climate Change • Useful early warning information and instruments • Regulations and standards • Change behavior and lifestyle • Building community resilience • Integrate DRR into Agric • DRR education into school curriculum at all level

  23. END

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