As part of the initiative “Contribution to UNDRR for Strengthening Early Warning Systems and Cross-Border Disaster Risk Management in Africa – Phase IV” (AID 012123/01/9) approved by Deputy Minister Cirielli for an amount of 5 million euros, a joint mission was conducted in Niamey from July 29 to 31, 2024. The mission included representatives from AICS Niamey, AICS Rome, UNDRR, UNDP, CIMA Foundation, and the African Union. The goal was to define priorities with a participatory approach and to identify, by capitalizing on the results of past or ongoing Italian initiatives, the actions to be implemented to strengthen early warning systems in Niger. This aims to enable local systems to act in advance, preventing and reducing the impacts of environmental disasters.
Niger is considered one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and is subject to phenomena such as extreme heat, rising temperature levels above the global average, rampant drought, and catastrophic flooding.
During the mission, following the initial meeting with the Italian Embassy in Niamey, technical meetings and visits took place with the structures and entities responsible for disaster management in Niger. These included UN agencies, ACMAD, AGRHYMET, Niger Civil Protection, the National Meteorology Directorate, the University of Niamey – Department of Geography, the National Institute of Statistics, and the Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock, Hydrology, Hygiene and Environment, and Humanitarian Action and Disaster Management.
The mission also laid the groundwork for the development of new initiatives and, above all, synergies among the various actors and existing projects.