LILONGWE, Malawi, June 04, 2021 (AEJ) - Africa Risk Capacity delegation visiting Malawi on Thursday interfaced with various players from both government and civil society groups, to share insights about products the institution is capable of offering as part of weather insurance to build resilience to climate change.
ARC is a specialized agency of African Union established to help governments improve their capacities to better plan, prepare, and respond to extreme weather events and natural disasters.
Newly appointed Director General Ibrahima Cheikh Diong accompanied by a high-level delegation have been visiting Malawi recently. Diong stressed that as ARC they ensure to align their products to national policies and strategies such as the national disaster risk financing strategy to what the local context demands.
The new ARC chief, also cleared the mist that services they offer are affordable, accessible and available and believe in transparency and good governance. ARC makes sure that whatever cash transfer they are making they are able to benefit the people on the ground. This is achieved through a monitoring and evaluation process that follows the money to ensure it gets to the right beneficiaries.
“As ARC we ensure we understand the policy framework about disaster risks in Malawi, resource mobilisation and awareness among many other things,” he said adding. “We are also interested in issues to do with women and the youth who are the most vulnerable.”
Taking his turn CISONECC National Coordinator, Julius Ngo’ma speaking on behalf of non-state actors said the Multi-Actor Partnership (MAP) established in 2020 brings together civil society, policy makers, private sector, researchers and the media to jointly work on pro-poor and human-right based approaches to climate and disaster risk financing and insurance.
“MAP also intends to allow Malawian stakeholders to bring grassroot and national perspective into regional and global processes such as the ARC for instance,” Ngoma explained during the engagement ceremony.
According to Ngo’ma the 2015 – 2016 weather insurance Malawi arrange with ARC turned to be a learning ground for the country. The non-trigger of a pay-out, when the country had experienced a drought made a lot of stakeholders to lose trust in the ARC initiative.
The ARC visiting crew was told that the non-trigger of a pay-out, when the country had experienced a drought of immense magnitude made a lot of stakeholders to lose trust in the ARC initiative.
“The late trigger of the pay-out resulted in government struggling to mobilize resources to start implementation of the humanitarian response program,” Ng’oma explained.
Taking his turn co-chair of the MAP on disaster risk financing Jolam Nkhokwe, who is also Director of Climate Change and Meteorological Services asked if ARC has any plans of capacitating the media on issues to do with weather insurance including awareness raising.
The non-state actor MAP foster sharing of experience and knowledge thereby enhancing stakeholder capacities in climate financing and insurance. Furthermore, they increase accountability of actors involved in the implementation of climate insurance initiatives.
ed5r5o
msy3qb
teh008