SADC moves to anticipate El Niño 2026/27 impacts in Southern Africa

JOHANNESBURG- The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has opened a four-day regional workshop in Johannesburg aimed at strengthening preparedness for the anticipated impacts of El Niño during the 2026/2027 rainfall season.

The 2026 Disaster Preparedness and Response Planning Workshop, running under the theme “From Forecast to Consequence: Anticipating the Cascading Impacts of El Niño 2026/27 in Southern Africa,” was convened by the SADC Secretariat.

The meeting is organized in collaboration with the European Union through its Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), and in partnership with the Regional Anticipatory Action Working Group (RAAWG).

Key humanitarian and development partners are participating, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Start Network, UNICEF, World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), and World Vision.

The workshop focuses on advancing anticipatory action and improving coordination among governments and humanitarian actors. Organizers say the goal is to ensure timely interventions that protect vulnerable communities and safeguard livelihoods before the crisis escalates.

Discussions are centered on one key question: What are the anticipated risks for the 2026/2027 season, and are existing systems sufficiently prepared to act before those risks translate into humanitarian consequences?.

The opening session featured remarks from representatives of RAAWG, DG ECHO, and the SADC Secretariat. The workshop was officially opened by Ms. Pumeza Tyali, Director of South Africa’s National Disaster Management Centre, on behalf of the Government of South Africa.