41 million people at risk as SADC faces $1.85 billion disaster preparedness funding gap

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has urged Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states to urgently strengthen disaster preparedness and secure funding ahead of the 2026/27 rainfall season.

Speaking during the virtual 7th SADC Committee of Ministers Meeting Responsible for Disaster Risk Management on Thursday, Hlabisa warned that approximately 41 million people could be at risk as the region prepares for potentially severe climate conditions.

The Minister, who chaired the meeting, said an estimated US$1.85 billion would be required for preparedness and response interventions, while only about US$241 million was currently available.

He warned that the substantial funding gap could undermine the region's ability to respond effectively to disasters unless member states moved beyond commitments and translated preparedness plans into funded interventions.

“Contingency plans that are not approved, financed, tested and understood by those responsible for implementation cannot protect communities,” Hlabisa said.

He called on member states to finalise and validate contingency plans informed by the El Niño outlook, identify early-warning triggers, secure resources, pre-position essential supplies and improve coordination across national borders.

According to Hlabisa, the 2026/27 rainfall outlook points to strong El Niño conditions, elevated temperatures and below-normal rainfall across much of central and southern SADC.

However, northern, coastal and island areas could remain vulnerable to flooding and other high-rainfall hazards.

The region therefore faces multiple potential threats, including drought, extreme heat, water shortages, floods, severe storms, wildfires and disease outbreaks.

These hazards could have far-reaching consequences for agriculture, energy, healthcare, infrastructure and regional markets.

Hlabisa stressed that disaster preparedness strategies must reflect the different risks facing individual countries and communities.

“Preparedness cannot be uniform when risk is not uniform. Regional assessments must be translated into downscaled national and subnational forecasts, practical advisories and early decisions that reach institutions, farmers, and communities in time to act,” he said.

He also cautioned against allowing improved agricultural production, pasture conditions, water availability and food supplies recorded during the 2025/26 rainfall season to create a false sense of security.

Although the previous season supported regional recovery, floods, tropical cyclones, localised dry spells and disease outbreaks continued to cause fatalities, displacement, infrastructure damage and disruptions to livelihoods.

“The message is clear: an improved regional outlook does not mean that vulnerability has been overcome. It means that we have a narrow opportunity to protect recent gains before the next shock reverses them,” Hlabisa said.

The Minister further raised concerns about food insecurity, with approximately 53 million people in reporting SADC member states projected to face food insecurity during the 2026/27 consumption period.

He said the challenge extended beyond agricultural production, with poverty, conflict, displacement, rising food prices, limited market access and household affordability also contributing to food insecurity.

He called for a coordinated regional response that includes climate-resilient agriculture, stronger regional trade, nutrition interventions, livelihood protection and social protection programmes.

Hlabisa also highlighted the SADC Multi-Hazard Regional Anticipatory Action Framework 2026–2030, which seeks to connect weather forecasts and agreed warning triggers to pre-arranged interventions.

He said early action was critical to protecting agricultural planting, water access, livestock, household incomes and essential services before climate-related disasters intensified.

“Early warning is valuable only when it leads to early decisions, early financing and early action,” he said.

The Minister also called for stronger regional humanitarian logistics through the SADC Regional Prepositioning Strategy, which aims to improve the availability and movement of emergency relief supplies.

He warned that administrative and logistical delays should not prevent assistance from reaching affected communities, emphasising the need for clear procedures, compatible systems and efficient cross-border support arrangements.