FANRPAN, represented by Dr Rachel Mkandawire, actively participated in the WISER Southern Africa Action First Collaboration Workshop, held from January 22–24, 2025, in Pretoria, South Africa. Co-hosted by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) and the UK Met Office, the workshop brought together key stakeholders from meteorological services, disaster risk management agencies, UN bodies, donors, and policy experts to assess progress and strengthen Early Warning Systems (EWS) for climate resilience in the region.
Dr Rachel Mkandawire engaged in critical discussions on policy integration and disaster risk reduction (DRR). She shared insights from FANRPAN’s policy and DRR review conducted in Limpopo Province, particularly addressing challenges in early warning dissemination and response preparedness.
She highlighted the critical need for stronger policy alignment between disaster risk management frameworks and meteorological services to enhance the effectiveness of early warning systems. Additionally, she contributed to discussions on scaling up investments in climate resilience and fostering cross-sector partnerships.
This workshop was critical as FANRPAN embarks on its next strategic phase (2025-2030), where Early Warning Systems (EWS) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) will be key components of our programming. Strengthening policy frameworks, fostering regional collaboration, and mobilizing investments will be central to ensuring climate resilience and disaster preparedness remains a priority for the region.