Central Africa: Development of Risk Reduction Measures, Preparedness and Response to Disaster Risk

Context and Objectives 
Member countries of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) are some of the most least developed countries in Africa. These countries are also the most vulnerable to natural disasters due to lack of financial resources and capacity for coping mechanisms.

Main Activities and results
The project aimed to reinforce the capacity of ECCAS to design and implement a regional disaster risk management program in Central Africa in close coordination with the member states of ECCAS. The project enhanced the capacity of ECCAS to manage complex DRM programs, and supported the development of risk reduction measures, preparedness and response to disaster risk in Central Africa. The project achieved the following results:

• A project concept note and work plan was developed for World Bank-led activities under result 2 of the ACP-EU NDRR program;
• The regional action plan for the implementation of the DRR/CCA strategy (adopted in Kinshasa October 2015) was elaborated;
• Statutes and internal regulations of the Parliamentarians Network for disaster resilience in Central Africa (REPARC, adopted in Kinshasa October 2015) were elaborated;
• The Regional Climatic Center in Douala, Cameroon, was created during the Conference of Ministers in charge of Meteorology in Yaoundé in July 2015.This achievement provided a positive input also to Result Area 3 of the Building Disaster Resilience to Natural Hazards in Sub-Saharan Africa Program, which is implemented by the African Development Bank.

Partnerships and Coordination
This activity complemented the ECCAS DRR strategy. It also complemented the Central Africa Regional Strategy for Risk Prevention, Disaster Management and Climate Change Adaptation (SRPRGC), which was adopted in 2012 by the Ministers from ECCAS Member States with support and facilitation of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).