SADC Urged to Leverage Geospatial Innovations

Rutendo Mazhindu- ZimNow Reporter

Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo has called on Southern African Development Community member states to harness geospatial innovations to strengthen disaster risk reduction and management, as the region faces growing threats from natural disasters.

Speaking on his behalf, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works Engineer Benjamin Kabikira delivered the remarks during the induction training of the second cohort of the SADC emergency response team in Nyanga on Wednesday.

The Minister stressed the importance of collaboration among member states.

“Ladies and gentlemen, as we strive towards well-coordinated regional preparedness and response mechanisms, there are key capacity gaps that require urgent attention.

These include strengthening cross-border collaboration, harmonizing search and rescue standards, investing in pre-positioned supplies, and most importantly, training skilled personnel,” he said.

He urged participants to take the programme seriously, highlighting its role in preparing them for unexpected emergencies.

“I’m confident that with the expertise of your trainers and your active participation, you will make the most of this opportunity. I look forward to your engagement and enthusiasm throughout the sessions to make this training a valuable learning experience,” he added.

The Minister commended the training initiative, designed to equip the region with critical disaster response skills. This cohort includes 35 participants drawn from 13 SADC countries.

“We are witnessing trends showing that both natural and human-induced hazards are becoming more frequent and complex, causing humanitarian challenges worldwide. This led the region to establish a standby Emergency Response Team to ensure timely responses to distress calls from member states.

"With the SADC Humanitarian Operations Centre operational and the SADC Secretariat coordinating, we hope this initiative will minimise disaster-related losses and ensure well-coordinated responses,” he said.

The first SADC emergency response team was trained in July last year in Maun, Botswana, while another group trained in Simunye, Eswatini, on the use of drones in disaster preparedness and response.

The Minister noted that the second cohort’s training comes soon after the launch of a two-year project in Nacala, Mozambique, by SHOC in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme.

“Funded by the European Union to the tune of US$3 million, the project aims to enhance regional disaster preparedness and response capabilities. The launch brought together key stakeholders, including beneficiaries from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar, as well as humanitarian partners and technical experts.

Discussions focused on logistics preparedness, supply chain management, and the role of SADC Emergency Response Teams,” he said.

Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate M. Mugadza said the training was timely, given the recurring disasters affecting the province.

He praised participants and expressed hope that the skills gained would strengthen disaster management across the region.