African Union officials in Malawi to assess impacts of Freddy

A delegation from the African Union Commission (AUC) is in the country to assess impacts of Tropical Cyclone Freddy (TCF), appreciate recovery interventions being implemented and draw lessons for improving coordination on implementation of various disaster risk management (DRM) programmes.

The 12-member delegation, led by Nyambe Harsen Nyambe, arrived on 28th August, 2023 and is expected to leave the country on 31st August, 2023.

The mission, which largely comprises DRM technocrats, is; among others, expected to visit and interact with communities affected by TCF, hold a meeting with various DRM stakeholders and affected councils.

On Tuesday, (29th August, 2023) the delegation paid a courtesy call to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) during which Nyambe stressed the need to draw lessons which could be shared with AU member states.

“We believe in collective learning but most importantly, we need to put measures in place for long term recovery and building nations’ resilience to disasters,” said Nyambe.

In his remarks, Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs Charles Kalemba said countries rarely recover from disasters, a situation which affects their economies.

“We are being hit by disasters without recovering from their effects. We also need to build resilience of our nations to disasters; to withstand impacts of extreme climate-related disasters,” said Kalemba.

The delegation first paid a visit to Madagascar and Mozambique, which were also affected by TCF.

In April this year, a high-powered delegation led by the African Union’s Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Minata Samate Cessouma, visited Chilobwe, where TCF-induced mudslides washed away over 40 houses.

The delegation then proceeded to visit displaced families at Soche Hill Secondary School Camp.