Africa’s cities continue to experience rapid demographic growth, challenging urban planners and policymakers trying to keep up with expanding urban communities and who are assessing the vulnerability of cities and their populations to disaster risks. Gaps in disaster data have emerged, especially in small and mid-sized cities that have higher growth rates, which have left these communities in the dark about the disaster risks they face. Addressing this data gap is essential for urban planners to strengthen resilience through informed policies and strategies.
To address these data gaps, the ACP-EU NDRR Program is empowering local communities and institutions by sharing with them technological innovations that facilitate data collection and risk assessments. Satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, and drones are among these new technologies that are being promoted.