Sudan, African Risk Capacity Sign MoU to Tackle Natural Disasters

The Government of Republic of the Sudan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the African Risk Capacity (ARC) to work together towards helping the country better prepare to efficiently deal with extreme weather events and natural disasters.

The MoU was signed during the ARC ‘Lessons Learned Workshop’ for the countries of East and Southern African (ESA) region which held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Minister of Interior, Mr. Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamad, represented by Dr. Hashim Hussein, the Secretary-General of the Sudanese National Council for Civil Defence (NCCD), restated the faith of the government in the ARC as a mechanism to provide sustainable solutions against the impact of natural disasters in the country.

According to a statement, the Government of Sudan formalised the partnership with the agency shortly after an ARC workshop in June. He reiterated the power the African continent can unleash when there is unity of purpose, as exemplified in the ARC initiative to combat natural disaster risks.

“The adverse impact of droughts and floods in Sudan threatens livelihoods,” Hussein said.

“Unless measures to prepare for natural disaster risk through are quickly taken, the country’s ongoing efforts to combat poverty, reduce food insecurity, and sustainably manage natural resources cannot be adequately achieved. This is our hope and objective in signing the MoU to work with the African Risk Capacity.”

The Director-General of the African Risk Capacity, Mr. Mohamed Beavogui, stated that the collaboration was yet another milestone in the resolve of Africans to taking charge of their own destiny.

“The commitment of the African Risk Capacity to protect the livelihoods of vulnerable people in Africa against the impact of natural disasters can best be realised when other member states join Sudan in signing the Memorandum of Understanding with ARC for structured national technical capacity building. The disaster risks confronting Africa affects all of the continent, and therefore, can best be combatted when we all work together.”

The Government of Sudan began engaging with the African Risk Capacity in September 2017 to explore ways to diversify existing disaster risk management strategies through a sovereign insurance mechanism.

Through the MoU, the Government of Sudan will work with the African Risk Capacity to strengthen the national disaster risk management and financing systems in Sudan and create a pathway to effectively and sustainably finance disaster responses, namely to climate disasters like drought and flood.