By Kadijatu Bangura, Reporter, Daily Scope
Maputo, Mozambique Sierra Leone’s National Disaster Management Agency was represented at a high-level African Union meeting on disaster preparedness, as officials from across the continent gathered to advance multi-hazard early warning and early action systems.
NDMA Deputy Director General Sulaiman B. Sowa attended the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning System and Early Action Technical Working Group meeting in Mozambique from 25 to 27 May 2026. The session was convened by the African Union Commission and brought together disaster risk experts, meteorologists, humanitarian actors, and policymakers to improve coordinated responses to natural and climate-related hazards.
AMHEWAS, an AU flagship initiative, is designed to support interoperable, people-centered early warning systems across all 55 member states. It forms part of the UN’s global “Early Warnings for All” campaign, which aims to ensure universal coverage of life-saving alerts by 2027.
Presenting Sierra Leone’s update, Sowa outlined national efforts to strengthen early warning and risk monitoring, including community-based response mechanisms. He highlighted the country’s exposure to flooding, landslides, coastal erosion, urban fires, and other extreme weather events, noting that the NDMA had been enhancing risk communication and institutional coordination since the 2017 mudslide disaster.
“Disasters do not respect borders, and therefore Africa’s response systems must be interconnected, proactive, and people-centered,” Sowa said. “Sierra Leone’s participation in the AMHEWAS Technical Working Group demonstrates our commitment to building stronger and smarter early warning systems capable of protecting lives and livelihoods.”
Sowa also served as a panelist in a discussion on early warning in urban settings, where participants examined risks tied to rapid urbanization, informal settlements, population density, and climate impacts. The panel explored how digital tools, community engagement, real-time monitoring, and integrated emergency communications can bolster city resilience.
He said the forum offered Sierra Leone a chance to draw on best practices from across Africa, particularly in expanding last-mile communication to vulnerable communities and improving coordination between institutions.
The AMHEWAS programme has already established continental and regional situation rooms in Addis Ababa, Abuja, Douala, Nacala, and other locations to coordinate disaster preparedness and response.
The NDMA said Sierra Leone’s involvement in the working group is expected to strengthen technical capacity, improve interoperability with regional systems, and increase access to emerging early warning technologies.
The meeting closed with recommendations aimed at advancing effective multi-hazard early warning and early action systems across Africa.
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