1. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER PLANNING IN AFRICA
MR GOODMAN CHILOANE
HOMELAND SECURITY AFRICA CONFERENCE 2018
31 October 2018

2. Introduction on disaster management planning
Myth : If a state/country declare a disaster, automatically funds will be provided.
Fact : Declaration of a disaster ultimately means that if a state/ country is unable to deal with an occurrence and therefore it can exercise its powers and duties in terms of the relevant legislation to deal with the situation.
Countries worldwide are regularly touched by variety of human made and natural crises including such events as the West African food crisis of 2012, Hurricane Katrina in 2007, and the Indian Ocean Tsunami. It is important for Government and citizens to know how to effectively mange and respond to these types of events. However, for a variety reasons many countries are not prepared to respond to unexpected disaster events.

3. Introduction on disaster management planning
Disaster Management Planning is done in line with the principles of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), which are prevention, mitigation and preparedness
DRR is an integral part of social and economic development and very essential for sustainable development.
Disaster management planning is moving away from the past perspective that emphasised standard documentation of roles, responsibilities and procedures, and is now focusing on planning that considers arrangements for prevention, mitigation, preparedness and recovery, as well as response.
Focus is more on action-based resilience planning to strengthen local capacity and capability, with greater emphasis on a better understanding of the diversity, needs, strengths and vulnerabilities within communities.
Disasters do not impact everyone in the same way, and it is often our vulnerable community members who are the hardest hit.
To increase disaster resilience, disaster management planning should be based on risk and be integrated with strategic planning of government and communities. It should consider risks and risk treatments across the social, built, economic and natural environments.
Focus on disaster resilience building calls for an integrated planning, whole-of-nation effort encompassing enhanced partnerships, shared responsibility, a better understanding of the risk environment and disaster impacts, and an adaptive and empowered community that acts on this understanding.

4. Introduction on disaster management planning
The relationship between DRR and sustainable development has always been recognised by international Frameworks, starting from the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for Safer World (1994), to the 2002 Johannesburg Plan on the implementation of the MDGs, to the Hyogo Framework for Action ( ), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction ( ) and then the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (New York, 2015)
Practical efforts to build societies’ adaptive capacities, made by citizens, civil society, government and private sector, need to be highlighted if Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are to be achieved.
Disaster Risk Management is also a tool used by governments and their partners to ensure community safety and protection of economic assets, which are also key to ensuring the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The integration of disaster risk reduction into sustainable development policies, planning and programming are an integral part in building resilient communities.
This includes a need to build capacities of institutions at local, national and regional levels as well as systematic incorporation of disaster risk reduction approaches in the implementation of emergency preparedness, response and recovery programmes

5. Three work streams to be interfaced into the plans
Climate Change
UNFCC
Paris Agreement
Disaster Management UNISDR Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
Sustainable development
UNOWG (open working group)
Sustainable development goals

7. Legislative obligation on disaster management planning
Within the South African context, disaster management is a multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary activity which is dependent on the role of all sectors whose line function interact with disasters in one way or another.
The cornerstone of successful and effective disaster management is the integration and coordination of all these role-players and their activities into a holistic system aimed at disaster risk reduction.
The Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) (DMA) places a legal obligation on all organs of state and other institutional role-players involved in disaster management to develop, regularly review, update, coordinate, share and implement disaster management plans (DMP).
Each national organ of state must prepare a disaster management plan setting out amongst others its roles and responsibilities regarding prevention, Mitigation, emergency response and post disaster recovery and rehabilitation
Each organ of state must also outline the capacity to fulfil these roles and responsibilities and contingency strategies and emergency procedures in the event of a disaster, including measures to finance these strategies in the disaster management plan

8. Legislative obligation on disaster management planning
These plans are based on the Risk Assessment processes that have been undertaken to determine the types of risks / hazards the plans are to address.
Additional to that is the Climate Change Adaptation strategy providing for the developmentally-oriented approaches & programmes that reduce disaster risks.
Each provincial and national sector department must fund DRR initiatives/ activities for disasters that affect its respective sector through institutionalisation and mainstreaming DRR within their programmes.
Municipalities must mainstream DRR in their Integrated Development Plans as well as their Spatial Development Frameworks.
The integration of DRR is one of the requirements for Municipal IDPs to be considered credible.

9. Planning for major and extreme weather events
Disaster management plans must incorporate elements of preparedness, response and recovery appropriate to the respective functional areas of different organs of state. These are contingency plans /arrangements to deal with major and or extreme weather events
Preparedness contributes to disaster risk reduction through measures taken in advance to ensure effective response to the impact of hazards, including timely and effective early warnings and the temporary evacuation of people and property from threatened locations
Preparedness enables organs of state and other institutions involved in disaster risk management, the private sector, communities and individuals to mobilse, organise, and provide relief measures to deal with an impending or occurring disaster of a specific threat or disaster.
Disaster response refers to the provision of assistance or intervention during or immediately after a disaster to meet the life preservation and basic subsistence needs of those people affected.
Disaster recovery focuses on the decisions and actions taken after disaster to restore lives, livelihoods, services, infrastructure, and the natural environment
By developing and applying disaster risk reduction measures at the same time, the likelihood of repeated disaster event is reduced.
NB: It is important that respective functional areas of different organs of state must develop and submit to the Disaster Management Centres or Agencies, contingency plans that outlines preparedness, response and recovery measures to deal with different types of major or extreme weather events.

10. Future plans to elevate the coordination of planning process
The Disaster management Practitioners has observed with concern that plans are not submitted as expected by all relevant stakeholder their Agencies.
In this regard, it is important to establish Special Task Teams to deal with facilitation and coordination of the development of disaster management plans across all spheres of government both vertically and horizontally.
This Task Teams will provide a platform for disaster management practitioners at national and provincial level to consult one another on all activities relating to disaster management planning to promote DRR.

11. Conclusion
African states must continue to recognise the need for developing structures and plans to improve emergency management at the international, regional and local levels.
We need to develop good policies specifically for disaster management which are easy to implement.
The African states possesses a unique hazard risk profile that puts it in great need of well defined disaster reduction and development planning.
Request for assistance during disasters from one state to the other must be clear e.g. clothing, human capacity e.t.c.
Lack of funding for disaster management is fundamental in most countries.

12. Conclusion

13. Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Planning in Africa
DISASTER MANAGEMENT IS EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS!!!!!