The learning process on flood management for risk-informed urban development has begun
An insight into the Kick-off event from 18-20 April 2023 in Windhoek
Group photo of the participants | Photo: Connective Cities
The Connective Cities learning process on “Flood Management for Risk-Informed Urban Development” has taken off with great success. From 18 to 20 April 2023 practitioners from 16 cities and municipalities gathered inWindhoek, Namibia, for a kick-off event aimed at enhancing their understanding of flood management and promoting resilient urban development.
Jointly organized by Connective Cities the Global Initiative for Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM), the German Association of Cities (DST), and Engagement Global, this event marked the beginning of an intensive exchange of expertise. Let's delve into the highlights of this initiative.
Promoting resilient urban development
The opening remarks were given by Ms. Judith Middleton from the GIZ project “Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Development” who represented GIZ’s country directorDr. Thomas Kirsch. The host city of Windhoek, represented by the Deputy Mayor of Windhoek Municipality, honourable Ms. Magdalena Lombard indicated that mainstreaming disaster risk management (DRM) means understanding and acting on disaster risks as part of decision-making processes across sectors to protect development progress, reduce losses and support growth. Ms. Hellen Likando from the Directorate Disaster Risk Management at the Office of the Prime Minister highlighted that the government of Namibia is geared towards building resilience towards disasters in line with the global Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). She further encouraged participants to use the event to learn, tap into best practices, and to develop innovative ideas that can provide long-term flood risk management solutions to their respective cities for risk-informed urban development initiatives.
The kick-off event in Windhoek was a significant milestone for cities and municipalities in Sub-Sahara Africa. Practitioners from various municipalities gathered to develop locally adapted solutions for sustainable urban development, with a particular focus on flood risk management. The event provided a platform for international experts and practitioners to collaborate and exchange knowledge.
Promoting resilient urban development, the learning process strives to equip municipalities with the tools and knowledge needed to combat the impacts of climate change, specifically focusing on flood events and risk-informed urban development. The presence of influential organizations such as UNDRR, IUCN, UCLG, and the SADC Secretariat underscores the importance of integrating risk-informed development practices into the fabric of municipalities and governance. Through sharing good practices, challenges, and questions, participants engaged in fruitful discussions, providing valuable feedback and innovative solution ideas.
Establishing a peer network
On behalf the SADC Secretariat, Mr. Alex Banda stressed that, with rapid urbanization many African municipalities, urban dynamics and growth patterns do not only contribute to the underlying drivers of disaster risks, but also expose a significantly large proportion of people who regularly experience losses from both natural and human-made disasters. These remarks were further reinforced by the Africa-Office of the United Nations Office for Disaster Reduction (UNDRR) represented by Ms. Isabel Njihia, who touched on the Making Cities Resilient 2030 programme and specifically called upon the participants to work towards attainment of its aspirational outcomes including, among others, enhanced risk assessment and mapping, intersectionality considerations, and an all-of-society-approach to DRM and flood risk management.
Besides the executive director of Gender Links, Ms. Kubi Rama, further expert inputs from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development of Namibia (MURD), the City Mayor of Cologne (Germany), Mr. Andreas Wolter, Vhembe District Municipality (South Africa), the Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa (DMISA) and the Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa Home-University (DIMTEC) at the University of Free State in South Africa stimulated the discussions towards making cities more resilient to the consequences of climate change and, in particular to systemically apply the principles of risk-informed urban development to flood events.
The event also fostered the establishment of an international network of peers from different municipalities and organisations. This network will facilitate the rapid exchange of experiences, ideas, and support, ensuring a collective effort to solve future problems. The participation of the SADC Secretariat and the Office of the Prime Minister of Namibia demonstrated their recognition of the pivotal role played by cities and municipalities in combating climate change. The learning process aligns with regional initiatives such as the SADC Urban Resilience Strategy and the Regional Strategic Indicative Development Plan. These alignments emphasize the urgency of disaster risk management and resilience building in African municipalities, which are experiencing rapid urbanization and facing a multitude of disaster risks.
The aspect of project proposal development as well as financing advice was presented by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and its City Climate Gap Fund pre-financing instrument and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) highlighting the relevance of multisectoral consortium building for risk-informed urban development.
Paving the way for a more resilient future
The whole learning process is designed to span 12 months, comprising several steps and events. Connective Cities, GIDRM, and the participating municipalities are eagerly anticipating the next phase of this transformative journey. By engaging in peer-to-peer learning and feedback loops, participants will further develop innovative ideas to address urban flood risk challenges. Furthermore, municipalities can complete the "Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities" and engage in structured, systemic action planning to improve and achieve resilience. The learning process will be supported by Connective Cities' community platform.
The learning process on flood management for risk-informed urban development has started with the intention to make cities and municipalities more resilient to the impacts of climate change. This collaborative effort will pave the way for a more resilient future, fostering a global network of cities and municipalities united in their commitment to combat climate change. Together with a virtual insight session in the end of June, the next in-person event in eThekwini, South Africa, in November promises to further enrich this dynamic learning process.
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