Virtual meeting with national and regional DRR and Sendai Framework focal points on COVID-19

This meeting will focus its deliberations on how the DRR/M community can: (i) leverage response to COVID-19 crisis; and (ii) pursue its efforts to strengthen DRR in the context of the Programme of Action for the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 in Africa, particularly in a context of COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting will provide a platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Points (DRR FPs) from Member States (MS) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), African Union Commission (AUC) and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) to share information on preparedness, response and recovery efforts to COVID-19, with focus on lessons learned, good practices, challenges and way forward.

Key questions to be addressed:

• What role national DRR/M institutions, in particular, have been playing in COVID-19 preparedness, response and recovery efforts?
• What support can the AUC, RECs and UNDRR provide to strengthen COVID-19 preparedness, response and recovery efforts across the continent?
• What steps have been taken so far to assess and address the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 on Africa? What are the specific roles expected from national and sub-regional DRR FPs in this regard? 
• What needs to be done, including by the international development community, to strengthen MS capacity to better prepare for, respond and recover from and build resilience, including against biological hazards and epidemics?

The dialogue would be organized on ‘ZOOM’ virtual platform allowing all AUC MS and RECs to join. It is scheduled for Tuesday, 28 April 2020, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Addis Ababa time).