SADC and German Gov’t Deepen Ties on Disaster Risk Reduction at Global Platform in Geneva
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), through its implementing partner GIZ, have reaffirmed and strengthened their strategic cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) during high-level engagements held on June 3 and 4, 2025.
These meetings took place on the sidelines of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva.
The discussions focused on reviewing progress and future plans under two flagship programmes: the Global Initiative on Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM) and the Resilience Initiative for Africa (RIA). Both initiatives are cornerstones of SADC’s DRR agenda and are key drivers in embedding risk-informed development across the region.
Dr. Martin Schuldes, BMZ’s Head of Division for Peace and Security, lauded the SADC Secretariat for its consistent collaboration and highlighted the life-saving impacts of the joint DRR initiatives.
“Collaborative investment in disaster prevention and mainstreaming risk awareness into development planning is essential for long-term sustainability,” said Dr. Schuldes.
He emphasized that evidence generation must guide policies that help countries prepare, respond, and recover more effectively from climate and disaster shocks.
Representing SADC, Ms. Nana Dlamini, Acting Head of the Disaster Risk Reduction Unit, presented updates on the implementation of GIDRM and RIA projects. She credited GIZ’s support with helping improve preparedness, risk analysis, and decision-making in critical sectors such as water, agriculture, and urban planning.
She singled out the rollout of the INFORMRisk subnational index—jointly developed with UNDP—as a major step forward in regional risk management.
A key part of the Geneva engagements included mapping the follow-up phase of the RIA programme, which concludes in June 2026. Stakeholders agreed to focus future efforts on urban resilience, evidence generation for DRR, and operationalising mainstreaming guidelines in member states, aligned with the Africa Programme of Action and the Sendai Framework.
DRR expert and founder of Resilience Solutions, Mr. Marcus Oxley, addressed participants with a sobering reminder of the stakes: “While early warning systems have improved, disaster-related economic losses now exceed USD 200 billion annually. We must shift from reacting to disasters to preventing them by addressing the risks embedded in our development pathways.”
Both SADC and BMZ/GIZ reaffirmed their intention to elevate DRR issues in upcoming bilateral government negotiations and committed to advancing a shared agenda for risk-resilient, sustainable development across the Southern African region.
