Early Warnings for All intiative (EW4All): August 2025 updates
June highlight: EW4ALL Global Multistakeholder Forum, 2-3 June, Geneva
When disaster strikes, every second counts – and so does every voice. On 2-3 June, more than 450 delegates gathered in Geneva for the first Global Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Early Warnings for All. From ministers and meteorologists to frontline responders, youth advocates, financiers, indigenous leaders, they came with the shared goal of ensuring early warning systems protect everyone, everywhere. The Forum was more than a meeting. It was a milestone.
Over two days, more than 70 speakers – more than 50% women – shared how early warnings are not just technical tools, but lifelines: protecting dignity, safeguarding development, and giving people confidence to face growing risks.
You can read an article on the Forum. Photos, session outcomes and other relevant information from the event is found at Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2025 website.
Mark your calendar
Global
EW4All Member States Briefing
6 October in Geneva, Switzerland
5^th^ meeting of the Advisory Panel of the EW4All
17 October in Geneva, Switzerland
WMO Extraordinary session of Congress in 2025 (Cg-Ext(2025))
20-23 October in Geneva, Switzerland, Technical Regulations related to EW4All will be adopted (Event page)
High level events on EW4All during WMO Cg-Ext (2025)
20 and 22 October in Geneva, Switzerland, UN Secretary General will participate on 22 October
13th Global Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Humanitarian Action
2-4 December 2025 in Berlin, Germany (Event page)
Africa
RA I Tropical Cyclone Committee - 26th Session (RA I TCC-26)
6-8 October 2025 in Maha, Seychelles (Event page)
6th South West Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Outlook miniforum
30 October, online, WMO-PIROI collaboration (Event page)
**Workshop on Early Warning and Early Action in Least Developed Countries and Fragile, Conflict and Violence Settings in Africa **
December 2025 (Date TBD) in Nairobi, Kenya
Asia & Pacific
17th Pacific Islands Climate Outlook Forum (PICOF-17)
22-23 October 2025 in Port Vila, Vanuatu
25th ASEAN Climate Outlook Forum (ASEANCOF-25)
24-30 October 2025, online
13th East Asia Climate Outlook Forum (EASCOF-13)
6-7 November 2025 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
9th Session of the ESCAP Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (C-DRR-9)
24-28 November 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand (Event page)
Asia-Pacific Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Humanitarian Action
4-6 November 2025 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
**Asia-Pacific EW4All webinar series **
Schedules available at Event page
Americas & the Caribbean
**Seismic risk in critical facilities workshop in Cuba **
30-31 October 2025 in Santiago, Cuba
**Webinar on tsunami warnings communications and dissemination **
6 November 2025 (Event page)
**Caribbean Regional Workshop - Strengthening Private Sector Engagement in MHEWS **
22-23 January 2026
Arab States
**National Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on NETP Validation, CAP, and Cell Broadcast Early Warning Systems in Mauritania **
28-30 October 2025 in Nouakchott, Mauritania
**First Arab Regional Forum on Early Warning Systems and Disaster Preparedness in Djibouti **
1-3 December 2025 in Djibouti, Djibouti (Event page)
EW4ALL Country & Regional implementation
This is the summary of progress in countries from August 2024 - August 2025.
Africa
Significant progress has been made across Africa under the EW4All initiative. Eleven countries---including Liberia, Tanzania, Kenya Ghana, Rwanda, and Niger---have convened national workshops and consultations, with many developing roadmaps and coordination mechanisms for scaling up multi-hazard early warning systems. Kenya focused on an in-depth exploration of Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) and developed the country's preliminary architecture for CBS.
Technical advancements were seen in Mauritius and Tanzania, where groundwork for nationwide Cell Broadcast systems is underway. Mozambique updated its roadmap and built capacity on Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), while São Tomé and Príncipe and The Gambia held inclusive inter-pillar workshops.
Regionally, the Water at the Heart of Climate Action Learning Assembly in Ethiopia from 17 to 19 June advanced cross-border coordination in the Nile Basin, and the Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Namibia is reinforcing shared commitments to people-centred early warning systems.
Arab States
The Arab region has made tangible progress in advancing the EW4All initiative. Sudan and Iraq have officially launched national activities, with Iraq notably initiating a Pillar 2 rapid assessment and establishing strong collaboration with World Food Programme (WFP) and the WISER MENA programme. In Comoros and Somalia, multi-stakeholder workshops led by ITU have resulted in the development of national roadmaps, policy frameworks, and operational working groups focused on emergency telecommunications and CAP implementation under Pillar 3.
These technical milestones are laying the foundation for sustainable early warning systems. Regionally, the Arab States DRR Platform the second MENA Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action, and the Arab Media Congress have reinforced coordination and highlighted the growing role of media and multi-agency partnerships in disaster risk communication and early warning dissemination.
Asia & Pacific
The Asia & Pacific region has seen growing momentum towards implementing the EW4All initiative, with Bangladesh and Nepal as well as Fiji emerging as frontrunners in roadmap development, national ownership and coordination, and technical capacity development. A number of countries---including Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), and Tonga---have finalized or validated their EW4All roadmaps during the reporting period, while others such as Mongolia, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu are actively initiating engagement.
Technical advancements in the use of Cell Broadcast and CAP have been prioritized through workshops in countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal, with regional partners supporting coordination, training, and resource mobilization. Regionally, key platforms and mechanisms such as the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee, South Asia Hydromet Forum (SAHF), Association of Southeast Asian Nations Climate Outlook Forum (ASEANCOF), and Weather Ready Pacific (WRP) Programme as well as high-level events have helped align EW4All goals with national and sub-regional priorities, reinforcing the initiative's footprint across both continental and island states.
Americas & the Caribbean
The Americas and the Caribbean region has made concrete progress in advancing the EW4All initiative, with national implementation taking shape across multiple countries. National implementation plans have been formally vetted for Barbados, Ecuador, Guatemala and Haiti. In addition to Haiti having successfully validated its EW4All implementation plan and carried out a live test of location-based SMS alerts reaching over 50,000 people---demonstrating practical advances in early warning dissemination. Belize and Guyana convened national workshops to guide their own national plans as well as to strengthen institutional coordination and technical readiness for multi-hazard early warning systems. Meanwhile, Costa Rica and Panama expressed clear intent to engage following introductory sessions under an Adaptation Fund project, while the National Disaster Management Unit and the Colombian Met-Office are finalizing the agreement to formally adhere to the initiative.
Regionally, the initiative is being reinforced through a broad range of technical trainings and peer exchanges, including through the Americas and the Caribbean EW4All Regional Coordination Mechanism, the Regional Multistakeholder Platform and the outcome document from the VI High-Level Meeting of Ministers and Authorities on the Implementation of the Sendai Framework, as well as workshops on disaster risk knowledge, hurricane preparedness, CAP, Impact Based Forecasting (IBF), and (WMO Integrated Global Observation System) WIGOS, as well as regional webinars and online learning courses.
A series of virtual workshops on the application of the Inclusive Early Warning Early Action Checklist were also carried out with Antigua and Barbuda, Belize and Guyana. These efforts underscore strong regional momentum toward risk-informed, inclusive, and interoperable early warning systems.
Europe & Central Asia
The Europe and Central Asia region is making notable strides in advancing the EW4All initiative. Armenia and Tajikistan have signaled strong interest or initiated formal steps toward implementation, with Armenia submitting an official request and Tajikistan launching its roadmap during national DRR platforms. All the countries of Central Asia have also expressed the wish to work at the sub-regional level.
Kyrgyzstan held multiple national conferences that positioned EW4All prominently on the agenda, while Kazakhstan is leveraging existing German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and upcoming Adaptation Fund-funded projects to support early warning systems. At the regional level, the WMO Regional Associations for Europe and Asia established High-Level Task Teams on EW4All to guide strategic coordination, and the International Conference on Glaciers Preservation in Dushanbe provided a platform for raising EW4All visibility.
Meanwhile, ITU is collaborating on innovative satellite-based alerting through the Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service (EWSS), expanding the region's multi-channel alerting capabilities. These developments signal growing political will and cross-sector collaboration for enhancing early warning systems across the region. Several countries from the Western Balkans region confirmed interest to push the EW4All agenda at the national level through a three-year initiative funded by the Cooperation Agency of Italy.
Global coordination & activities - interpillar and beyond
Significant advancements are being made to enhance early warning systems through joint efforts and targeted innovations under the EW4All initiative.
Strengthening Learning through After-Event Review (AER):
A new After-Event Review (AER) methodology has been developed to help countries evaluate the effectiveness of their early warning systems (EWS) after a hazardous event takes place. The AER aims to capture lessons across the entire EWS value cycle from hazard detection and warning communication to coordination across stakeholders. A pilot using the methodological guidance took place in Northern Ireland on 28 August 2025, with broader roll-out planned thereafter.
Advancing EWS in Fragile, Conflict and Violence Contexts:
To address challenges in fragile, conflict, and violence (FCV) settings, the Handbook on EWS in FCV contexts is being deployed in Africa. A Toolkit for anticipatory action in fragile, conflict- and violence-affected settings was developed by Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, the Anticipation Hub and the International Water Management Institute, under the CGIAR Fragility, Conflict and Migration Initiative This was followed by a regional workshop on Anticipatory Action in FCV contexts in Bangkok (May 2025) and a session at the Global Multi-Stakeholder Forum.
IFRC Alert Hub Enhancements:
The IFRC Alert Hub, which aggregates CAP alerts from around the world, has improved its user interface and analytical capabilities. It now includes a searchable alert archive and API services for integration. A forthcoming IFRC-led study will explore alerting trends, and partners are invited to contribute research questions.
Global Expansion of Anticipatory Action:
In 2024, 121 anticipatory action activations were conducted across 45 countries, supported by over US$110 million in financing. Technological advances and policy institutionalization have increased the scale and effectiveness of interventions, even in FCV settings. For further details see the 2024 Overview Report here.
UNICEF's Push for Child-Responsive EWS:
UNICEF is incorporating child-centred features into early warning systems across education, health, WASH, and other key sectors. A new guidance document will launch in September 2025, and pilot countries are being identified. Interested partners are encouraged to collaborate.
We invite partners to join us in rolling out this initiative or exploring opportunities to embed child-responsive elements into existing efforts. Together, we can ensure that EWS prioritize children's unique needs. For a conversation about potential partnerships, please contact Julie Syversen ([email protected]) and Sophie Lee ([email protected]).
AI for Early Warnings: Innovation Challenge and Workshop at ITU's AI for Good Global Summit:
This workshop, hosted by the AI Sub-Group of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative on 9 July 2025 as part of the AI for Good Global Summit 2025, served as a platform to highlight AI driven innovations that enhance early warning systems for disasters and extreme weather events. The workshop featured presentations from the top four finalists of the AI for Early Warnings for All Innovation Challenge: Bridging gaps with AI solutions, a showcase of country pilots, and a demonstration of the Early Warning Connectivity Map (EWCM). EWCM uses AI and satellite imagery to generate high-resolution population density maps. Developed through partnership among ITU and the Microsoft AI for Good Lab, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation [IHME] at the University of Washington, and Planet Labs, the EWCM enables governments and partners to identify the population not covered by digital networks, and to design tailored dissemination strategy and make targeted investments, to ensure that no one is left behind.
Check the workshop page and photos here.
Explore the challenge's selected AI solutions here.
Harnessing AI for Stronger Early Warning Services:
Two recent international conferences highlighted the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in Early Warning Services. In Shanghai, new initiatives on AI-driven multi-hazard and space weather forecasting underscored the urgent need to integrate AI-powered climate intelligence into decision-making to save lives. The WMO AI Conference in Abu Dhabi reinforced this message, emphasizing global collaboration, open data, and capacity development to ensure AI tools are trusted, transparent, and accessible to all. Together, the events showed how AI can improve the accuracy and inclusiveness of forecasts, helping deliver more timely and people-centred early warning systems worldwide.
Read full story about WMO AI Conference here.
Read full story about Meteorological Forum during the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference here.
ITU Launches Technical Expert Group on Mobile Early Warning Systems:
To advance the initiative's Pillar 3, ITU launched the Technical Expert Group on Mobile Early Warning Systems (EW4All-TEG mobile). This global, member-driven group supports countries in designing and implementing mobile-based alerting systems using technologies such as Cell Broadcast and location-based SMS. It facilitates peer exchange on topics including PWS architecture, Cell Broadcast regulation, handset standardization, multi-channel integration, and satellite alerting. The TEG also enables members to review regulatory texts, tender documents, and share use cases to enhance last-mile communication. With mobile networks covering more than 95% of the global population, the group aims to expand mobile early warning systems as a core component of climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
Read the TEG's Terms of Reference here.
Learn more about the TEG here.
Early Warnings and Extreme Heat discussed at UNGA:
Last week, during the United Nation's General Assembly (UNGA), the Solutions Dialogue on Early Warnings and Extreme Heat brought together heads of state, ministers, mayors and other high-level participants to chart concrete pathways for protecting communities. The conversation placed extreme heat at the center of the climate and health agenda, underscoring its role as the leading cause of weather-related mortality and the need to embed resilience into long-term urban planning, labor protections and public health systems. WMO co-sponsored and shaped the event, showcasing how initiatives such as the Global Heat Health Information Network and the EW4All initiative are transforming forecasts into life-saving action. Speakers called for greater investment, inclusive partnerships and innovation to close critical gaps, while recognizing the importance of aligning global commitments with local realities.
The outcomes informed the UN Secretary General's Climate Summit on 24 September and will also contribute to shaping the priorities carried forward to COP30.
Monitor EW4ALL progress on dashboard
Check out our EW4All Dashboards for real-time insights into global progress and for tracking funding and resources supporting early warning initiatives worldwide.