Africa-Press – Uganda. The State Minister for Environment, Ms Beatrice Anywar has said that there is a need to implement early warning systems in order to minimise the effects of natural disasters.
“Uganda is highly vulnerable to climatic shocks and is one of the most drought-prone countries in the world, despite having contributed least to the causes of climate change. Millions of Ugandans are being affected by drought and flooding every year and the climate predictions are showing that it will get worse,” she said.
Ms Anywar made the remarks while launching the early warning for all initiative (EW4AII) and the inception workshop of the water at the heart of the climate action project (W@HCA) in Entebbe on Wednesday.
“There is already compelling evidence that shows a well-established early warning system not only reduces fatalities but also decreases disaster losses by up to 60 per cent, offering a remarkable tenfold return on investment,” she said.
The Uganda Red Cross Society Secretary General Mr Robert Kwesiga said the focus of early warning is to use technology and the indigenous knowledge gathered in communities to mitigate disaster effects.
“Using that information helps us make decisions early enough, to engage with the communities to be prepared, see what they can do to avoid the catastrophe and also be in a position to respond in case we can’t stop it,” he said.
Mr Kwesiga said the initiative which is a regional program with support of €55 million from the Netherlands government will be implemented in four Nile Basin countries, including Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda as the pilot country.
The acting Commissioner in the Office of the Prime Minister Ms Catherine Ahimbisibwe said the government is coordinating the development and implementation of disaster mitigation and preparedness plans in all local governments as part of its early warning system among other initiatives.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
