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Webster Mukwati in KINSHASA, DRC

Local Government Minister July Moyo yesterday attended the SADC Committee of Ministers responsible for disaster management in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the current SADC chair.

The meeting was intended to take stock of the decisions made by Heads of State and Government, the Council of Ministers and the Ministers responsible for disaster management to expedite the implementation of the same.

More focus was on operationalisation of the SADC Humanitarian Operations centre ( SHOC) in Nakala, Mozambique as a way of ramping up coordination of disasters in the SADC region.

Tools to assist in the operationalisation of the SHOC such as the multi-hazard contingency plan and the disaster fund were also discussed.

An interim team seconded by member states is already in place drawn from countries such as Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia.

The prevalence of disasters in this wake of climate change has seen losses of both lives and property to the extent of threatening development especially in the SADC region.

Furthermore, the summit touched on issues to do with epidemics, pandemics, effects of climate change, water resources management and the disaster situation in general in the region.

The meeting came against the backdrop of Malawi and DRC having been struck by the floods after which Zimbabwe showed solidarity with Malawi under the Zim-aid banner.

Minister Moyo also reiterated the President Mnangagwa’s intention was to support the Democratic Republic of Congo during this trying time.

Debated decisions included taking advantage of the Tampere Convention on Risk Communication, operationalisation of the SHOC, peer review mechanisms, enhancing vulnerability assessment and many others.

As the Minister responsible for Government buildings, he toured for appreciation, the Zimbabwean embassy building where he had meetings with Ambassador Johannes Tomana.