The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) has become an official member of the Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), a worldwide project that brings together major actors in the climate, humanitarian, and development sectors.
ICPAC provides climate services to 11 nations in the Greater Horn of Africa — IGAD member states plus Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Its objective is to foster resilience in an area that has been severely impacted by climate change and harsh weather.
As the World Meteorological Organization's Regional Climate Centre for East Africa, ICPAC will leverage its experience in climate forecasting, anticipatory action, and multi-hazard early warnings to assist REAP Partners in scaling up action to protect 1 billion people from disaster by 2025.
ICPAC established a disaster operation situation room in October 2021 to monitor key risks and deliver near-real-time alerts for drought, floods, heavy rainfall, food insecurity, and pests such as desert locusts. And is presently developing a standard operating procedure that will enable all parties in the area to mobilize financing quickly in the event of a climate emergency. For example, climate projections are getting increasingly trustworthy, and emergency money will be given automatically whenever predicted predictability reaches 70% or greater.
