HARARE- Zimbabwe’s Department of Civil Protection is today hosting a workshop validate the Regional Framework for Action to Address Disaster Displacement in Southern Africa with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).  Zimbabwe is one several SADC countries that provided inputs into the regional study on addressing disaster displacement in Africa and the purpose of the presentation and validation workshop is to present findings of the report and to consider and validate recommendations relevant to Zimbabwe. The activity is undertaken under the African Regional Migration Program (ARMP) with support from the US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM). Under this programme IOM seeks to cement the commitment of countries in the region to improve their capacity for effective and humane migration management, provide a platform for donors, UN entities, governments to engage in efforts to coordinate on migration programming and capacitate governments to anticipate, better prepare for, and respond to migration flows relating to emergencies and crises.

The workshop, which brings together the ministries of  Local Government,  Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage,  Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare,  Health and Childcare,  Primary and Secondary Education and Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services as well as various government departments and UN entities, is aimed at strengthening the Government of Zimbabwe’s capacities on disaster risk management and reduction through prioritising actions  at the local level to address  gaps identified in the  regional  assessment. A central consideration will be on the impact of climate change and the extent of human induced displacements in Zimbabwe and identifying critical needs and relevant actions in the different phases of the disaster management cycle.

In his opening remarks, IOM Zimbabwe Chief of Mission, Mario Lito Malanca said disaster risk and displacement are expected to increase in the Southern Africa region due to various developmental, environmental and climate related factors, and risk undermining development gains and poverty reduction in the region. With that background he was nevertheless heartened at the efforts by government and the Department of Civil Protection in achieving the ends of the SDGs and the Global Compact on Migration related to disaster risk management. Speaking at the same event, the Director the Department of Civil Protection, Nathan Nkomo implored workshop delegates to, “interrogate the Regional Framework for Action to Address Disaster Displacement in Southern Africa and validate [its] bankability” in order to strengthen capacities for disaster management across the country’s various provinces and districts using the framework as a guide.

For more information contact Fadzai (Penny) Nyamande-Pangeti 

+263 787 8686 08  fnyamandepan@iom.int