Day: February 14, 2023

Experts on Drought Risk Management, Dry-Land Related Climate Adaptation, and policy sector coordination conducted a high-level consultative meeting from the 18th to the 19th of January 2023. The meeting was officially opened by Hon. Rebeca Miano, MBS. Cabinet secretary, Ministry of East African Community, ASALs and Regional Development, and attended by Hon. Mohamed Elmi, Former Minister for Development of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands, Raphael Nzomo, Chairman of NDMA Board of Directors, Mr. Idris Dokota, the Principal Secretary for ASALS and Regional Development, Hon. Geoffrey E. Kaituko, The Principal Secretary for Labor and Skills Development, Sen. Hon. Hassan Abdirahman, Deputy Secretary General-Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), and Ms. Annette Msabeni among other stakeholders.

The stakeholders discussed, reviewed, and generated new ideas on the programmatic focus of the second phase of EDE. They also discussed ways of enhancing effective stakeholder-inclusive EDE coordination structures. Lastly, based on experiences nationally and at the global level, they also reviewed what could be amended and how higher impacts may be achieved from programs.

It was recognized that Kenya has made remarkable progress toward ending drought emergencies and has been a champion for drought resilience in the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) region, despite failing to meet the goal of ending drought emergencies by 2022.

It was recommended that the development of the EDE II stakeholder participation should be expanded and ensure the involvement of both levels of government, putting counties at the center of design and implementation.

Lastly, during group discussion, Zachary Misiani (Climate Officer at the International Center for Humanitarian Affairs(ICHA) explained the role of KRCS and by extension ICHA to create research and learning networks to support EDE strategic evidence and knowledge management. This Knowledge Management will focus on generating strategic evidence on the value for money for investing in EDE, including averted loss of life and livelihoods and economic loss and damage.