The African Union Commission (AUC), through its Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE), inaugurated the first-ever Symposium of the Africa Science and Technology Advisory Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (Af-STAG DRR) in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Co-organized with Partners Enhancing Resilience for People Exposed to Risks (Periperi U), a consortium of African universities, the event aims to strengthen local capacity in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. The symposium is held under the theme “Strengthening the Role of Science, Technology and Innovation for Evidence-Based Implementation of the Sendai Framework,” bridging the gap between scientific research and policy action to build a more resilient Africa.
The symposium takes place as the continent faces increasing disasters driven by climate change, unplanned urbanization, and environmental degradation, which threaten lives, livelihoods, and the sustainable development goals outlined in Agenda 2063 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. At the opening ceremony, Zimbabwe’s Deputy Director of Civil Protection, Farai Hokonya, highlighted the importance of a coordinated approach to preparedness, emphasizing Zimbabwe’s readiness to support African Union initiatives to strengthen disaster risk reduction.
In his keynote address, Harsen Nyambe, Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy at the African Union Commission, stressed the urgency of building Africa’s scientific and technological capacity. He noted that the symposium mobilizes the continent’s expertise to develop evidence-based solutions that protect communities, safeguard development gains, and turn knowledge into actionable policies that save lives and livelihoods.
The event gathers policymakers, scientists, innovators, representatives from Regional Economic Communities (RECs), UN agencies, civil society, and the private sector to explore topics including climate change impacts, multi-hazard early warning systems, applications of Artificial Intelligence and geospatial technologies in risk mapping, nature-based solutions, and integrating indigenous knowledge with modern science. Dr. Eltson Eteckji Fonkeng, Chair of Af-STAG, emphasized that the symposium serves as a platform for evidence-driven decision-making, uniting policymakers and scientists to develop practical innovations and an action-oriented roadmap for disaster risk reduction across Africa.
Key expected outcomes of the symposium include the adoption of a Symposium Communiqué or Af-STAG Declaration on Science, Technology, and Innovation for DRR, the development of a comprehensive policy brief capturing key deliberations and recommendations, the formulation of an action-oriented roadmap to advance DRR, and the strengthening of continental partnerships and collaborative networks.
Af-STAG is a 15-member advisory body established by the AUC’s DRR Unit within ARBE to provide scientific and technical guidance for Africa’s disaster risk reduction agenda. Comprising experts from all five African regions, the group was selected through a transparent process for a two-year term (2023–2025). Its core mission is to strengthen evidence-based decision-making by generating data, analyses, and technical insights to support the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sendai Framework, and Agenda 2063.
