Ibrahima Cheikh Diong says that the AU designated it as a specialised agency to address climate disaster risks, confirming the importance of a strengthened climate response for the continent. ARC has significantly increased its relevance within the continents disaster risk preparedness architecture.
In the business of disaster management, as the climate crisis grows, you not only have to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk.
That means actually delivering on the mandate and offering what may be described as a proof of concept. When there is a drought or a tropical cyclone and people are dying, you cant just be technical, you have to actually offer support, Diong points out.
In 2024, ARC paid just over $66m to countries affected by climate disasters. Zimbabwe received close to $32m while Malawi received $11.2m to support its recovery from an El Nio induced drought. Using the modelling systems engineered by ARC, early warning systems, in 2022, Madagascar was able to move its people out of a tropical cyclones way, saving countless lives.
These instances, Diong says, are a demonstration of how ARC is walking the walk. We really turned this mandate into something tangible, building our credibility and a track record of delivery within Africa. The global community also begins to look at us as the voice of Africa in terms of disaster management, and thats how we raise the profile.
