Anticipatory action is often focused on rural settings in disaster-prone countries. However, the case of drought risk in Cape Town, South Africa and cyclone impact in Beira, Mozambique highlighted the potential and relevance of addressing the urban gap more. Future Resilience for African Cities and Lands (FRACTAL), the Research Network of IFRC, the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, the Mozambique Red Cross and German Red Cross are collaborating to develop robust anticipatory action mechanisms suited for dense, dynamic and diverse characters of urbanization in Southern Africa.

Hilla Wessel

To provide a better response to cyclones in Mozambique, Mr. Ilidio Nhatuve of the Mozambique Red Cross presented key components of Forecast-based Financing including the setting of triggers, selecting early actions and providing financing mechanisms: “It’s important to focus on the whole country instead of just the community because of the nation-wide potential impact of the cyclones and floods”.

Hilla Wessel