In an important step toward strengthening disaster resilience and early action in Africa, the African Union Commission (AUC), convened the third Steering Committee (SC) and Technical Working Group (TWG) meetings of the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning System and Early Action (AMHEWAS) Programme. The meeting was in held in Accra, and hosted by the Government of the Republic of Ghana.
The AMHEWAS Programme was designed to increase the availability and accessibility of multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) and disaster risk information across the continent. Recognizing that countries with limited early warning systems face disaster-related mortality rates nearly six times higher than those with strong systems, the programme focused on bridging these critical gaps, particularly around last-mile connectivity.
Chairing the Steering Committee and Opening the session, Harsen Nyambe the Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE) stated that “Through this meeting, we aim to not only review progress but to identify actionable pathways to scale up implementation and strengthen interoperability of Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems across the value chain in Member States and RECs.”
The meetings, held from 23 to 26 July 2025, brought together Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), implementing agencies, media, academia, civil society, and youth to accelerate progress in disaster risk reduction and anticipatory action.
Structured around the four early warning pillars; risk knowledge, hazard detection and forecasting, warning dissemination, and preparedness and response, AMHEWAS introduced a multi-layered and networked approach to early warning systems. This approach allowed for seamless risk data exchange across local, national, and regional levels, including for enhanced transboundary risk coordination.
African Union Commission (AUC)
Stakeholders of the AMHEWAS programme pose for group photo
“We view the situation rooms as the backbone of the AMHEWAS. We need to understand how we will effectively improve both the quantity and the quality of products for early warning and early action.” Said Mr. Amjad Abbashar, Chief, United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office of Africa.
The Steering Committee reviewed the programme’s progress throughout 2024, endorsed the annual report, and approved the 2026 work plan and budget, demonstrating continuity and forward planning. The Technical Working Group, under the leadership of the AUC Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE), Harsen Nyambe, played a pivotal role in refining programme activities and offering technical recommendations that informed strategic decisions. This progression reflects a shift from initial planning and strategy development to active implementation, monitoring, and long-term planning, marking a significant step forward in the programme’s maturity and operational effectiveness.
Participants discussed progress, challenges, and gaps in implementation and reaffirmed their commitment to scaling up efforts consistent with the global Early Warnings for All initiative, which aims for universal early warning coverage by 2027.
By convening these meetings, the AUC and its partners work towards strengthening governance, coordination, and technical capacities necessary to operationalize AMHEWAS at scale, ensuring that no one is left behind in the face of increasing climate and disaster risks.
This event was made possible through the support of the Governments of Italy and Denmark, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and NORCAP (Norwegian Capacity Standby Roster).
