About the event

Anticipatory Action (AA) is defined as acting ahead of predicted hazards to prevent or reduce acute humanitarian impacts before they fully unfold (G7 definition). Anticipatory Action approach presents a fundamental shift in how we tackle disasters requiring a leaning towards more proactive approach as opposed to traditional reactive approach to disasters.

IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) in collaboration with AICCRA and other key partners is organizing a joint multi-stakeholder Anticipatory Action workshop towards establishing a regional guiding framework for implementation of Anticipatory Action in the IGAD region.

The workshop seeks to convene key actors and stakeholders across the AA value chain with the aim of consolidating regional knowledge and experiences, creating a common understanding of AA and establishing a unified framework for advancing adoption and implementation of AA in the region. It aims at fostering cross-sectoral, multilateral and multi-stakeholder implementation of AA.

Background

Climate related risks in the past decades have increased in frequency and magnitude due to climate change and other risk drivers, and these have led to complex emergencies negatively affecting millions of people over the horn of Africa. The compounding risks due to climate extremes, COVID-19, and conflicts have resulted in cascading and transboundary impacts including loss of livelihoods and assets, increasing number of food insecure population and human displacement over the region.

The fifth IPCC report that was recently released provided a timely reminder of the need to address current and future climate risks in a collaborative and transformative manner. The reality of this crisis is being felt by millions of people in the region on a regular basis, mainly due to the now frequent and intense drought and floods compounded by other risk multipliers.

Two fundamental and coinciding shifts in the DRR paradigm provide an opportunity for the adoption and integration of Anticipatory Actions into the DRR workflow as we know it. The two fundamental shifts are: 1) unprecedented push for establishing and improving early warning systems propelled by technological advancements and 2) a shift from reactive to proactive disaster management strategies aimed at protecting life, property and development gains in the face of increased frequency and intensity of disasters coupled with reduced resources for response. Technological advancements promise improved modelling and projection of weather and climate and their respective impacts. The promise of Anticipatory Action is the leverage early warning information to mitigate impacts of disasters.

The workshop will bring together experts and practitioners in the area of Anticipatory Action (AA) from member states and partners such as WFP, Anticipation Hub, IFRC, AICCRA among others. Key sectors include National Meteorological and Hydrological agencies, National Disaster Management Authority, National Drought Management Authority, academia and research institutions.

Objectives

The general objective of the workshop is to build awareness and sensitization about the integral role of AA in mitigating disaster impacts in the region and an understanding of what is needed to adopt AA across the region.

The specific objectives of the workshop are:

a) To appreciate the progress and challenges in advancing early warning at regional and national level
b) To establish common regional understanding of Anticipatory Action; principles, terminology and implementation framework
c) To consolidate AA knowledge and experiences in the region; with the aim of understanding the bottlenecks and opportunities of AA at national and subnational level
d) Understanding currently available financing mechanisms for AA and exploring potential financing mechanism
e) Charting way-forward for AA in the region; review and validation of the regional roadmap

*The workshop is by invitation only*

Agenda

Day 1: Understanding Anticipatory Action & the place of AA in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Day 2: Implementing Anticipatory Action
Day 3: Anticipatory Action Roadmap

Download the agenda and learn more via ICPAC

Contributors

• IGAD Climate Prediction & Applications Centre (ICPAC)
• Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA)
• World Food Programme (WFP)
• Anticipation Hub