East African Community backs Hyogo Framework

The East African Community (EAC) today announced that it is renewing its commitment to implement the global disaster risk reduction framework, the Hyogo Framework for Action, and that it had agreed last week on a new plan, as UNISDR reported.

Speaking today at the opening of the 5th Africa Drought Forum, Jesca Eriyo, EAC Deputy Secretary-General, said that Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania "recognized the need to implement disaster risk reduction activities in line with the Hyogo Framework for Action and the Africa Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and Programme of Action."

He said that Africa has to be part of the evolving debate on the post-2015 development agenda and that while there have been "remarkable achievements in the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action, it is in doubt whether the full realization of the HFA priorities will be achieved by the lapse of the set period in 2015. We need to carefully consider this fact in our deliberations."