MOMBASA, October 30, 2026 (Horn News Hub)
Ministers responsible for disaster risk management and humanitarian affairs from seven Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states have adopted the Mombasa Ministerial Declaration on Anticipatory Action, committing to strengthen regional preparedness and reduce the humanitarian impact of climate related disasters and other emergencies.
The declaration was adopted on October 30, 2026, during the ministerial segment of the Second Eastern Africa Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action, held in Mombasa, Kenya, under the theme “Institutionalising Anticipatory Action for a Resilient Eastern Africa.”
The participating countries include Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
The declaration identifies Eastern Africa as one of the world’s most climate vulnerable regions, facing increasingly frequent droughts, floods, disease outbreaks, conflict related risks and other cross border hazards. It notes that these challenges continue to undermine humanitarian progress and sustainable development, particularly affecting women, children, young people, older persons and people with disabilities.
The ministers called for anticipatory action to become an integral part of national disaster risk management systems, relevant legislation, policies and development strategies. They also committed to strengthening institutional coordination, early warning systems and financing mechanisms to enable governments and communities to act before disasters escalate.
A key commitment is to operationalise National Anticipatory Action Roadmaps through nationally led implementation plans with clear priorities, timelines, measurable targets and accountability arrangements.
The declaration also emphasises the importance of linking early warning systems with early action through predefined triggers, decision making protocols and standard operating procedures. It calls for improved use of climate services, scientific evidence, risk analysis and traditional knowledge to support timely interventions.
On financing, the ministers committed to increasing predictable and sustainable funding for anticipatory action, including dedicated national and subnational budget allocations, contingency financing, risk transfer instruments and partnerships with development and financial institutions.
The declaration further calls for stronger regional cooperation through IGAD to address cross border and interconnected risks, including drought, floods, disease outbreaks, forced displacement and desert locust infestations.
It also encourages the development of interoperable national and regional early warning and early action systems to facilitate information sharing, coordinated decision making and joint responses to transboundary hazards.
The ministers highlighted the importance of community participation and local leadership, stressing that anticipatory action should be people centred, gender responsive, disability inclusive and informed by local knowledge. They also called for stronger partnerships involving governments, humanitarian organisations, development partners, research institutions, the private sector, civil society and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Under the declaration, IGAD, through its Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), is requested to support implementation by developing a regional monitoring and reporting framework, facilitating annual progress reviews, strengthening technical cooperation and mobilising financial and technical assistance for member states.
The declaration also sets a specific target for member states to establish nationally agreed anticipatory action protocols for priority hazards by 2027. These protocols are expected to include predefined risk thresholds, prearranged financing, coordinated multisectoral interventions and clearly assigned institutional responsibilities.
The ministers further committed to monitoring progress through measurable indicators, national targets, annual reviews, community feedback mechanisms and periodic reporting on institutional development, financing and locally led early warning and anticipatory action.
The Mombasa Declaration builds on regional and international commitments, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 to 2030, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the Early Warnings for All Initiative.
The ministers expressed appreciation to the Government and people of Kenya for hosting the regional dialogue platform.
The declaration was formally adopted in Mombasa on October 30, 2026.
