REGIONAL KICK-OFF WORKSHOP An Overview of DRR Situation in State

BY

Dr. Bushra Hamid Ahmed Eng. Abdalla Awad Bashir

Introduction Khartoum State as mega city of population estimated at 8 million inhabitants approx , and an area of 22172 km2.  With desert and semi desert land. Hot weather with a temperature above 40 C in summer. Rainfall 139- 159 year

Location of Khartoum state at the confluence of the two Niles and the river in addition to the gradient, made it as a catchment area for both Niles flood and flash floods as a main risk source.  Contrary to that, in the peripheral high lands drought is the main disaster which threatened the livelihood of rural areas.

Khartoum State Map Key Risks Faced  Normally Nile Floods threaten people living at the Nile banks (White & Blue Niles).  Rains and flash floods threatens people in low and unplanned informal settlements.  Drought and negative impact of climate change.  Sand storms and soil and Nile banks erosion.

Khartoum state catchment areas

Khartoum state drainage systems and settlements

cont Environmental risks due to limited sewage system coverage and weak municipal waste services. Informal settlements. Physical planning and land use

Impact 1) Shelter and houses damage. 2) Infrastructure damage. 3) Public utility damage. 4 ) Death accidents. 6) Economic losses. 7) Displaced people. 8) Health hazards.

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Gaps and Challenges

Absence of unity of command in DRR activities  Weak information system and data sharing mechanism. Absence of remote sensing and early warning setup. Limited infrastructure compared with population and extended area of Khartoum State.

Current Diagram of Emergency

State Emergency Committee

NGOs,Civil Societies Localities & volunteers Ministries

Adm Units Adm Units

cont Environmental degradation in peripheral areas. Absence of sustainable disaster protection policy and culture among decision makers. Fragmentation of efforts and capabilities Awareness and DRR culture gap. Limited financial resources. Rural urban migration Ongoing & Future plans

• The whole picture is not as gloomy as it might seem • There are good opportunities that the state might overcome these shortcomings through:- 1. Khartoum State Strategy is in place now which was supported by the UNDP within the resilient cities Programme. 2. The strategy is developed along the line of both Hyogo and Sendai Frameworks and is valid till 2030. 3. There is strong and evident political will to implement the strategy and make the state safe and resilient.

• The higher council for Environment, Urban and Rural Promotion is now having a keen interest in capacity building as it sponsored a training session on the Sendia framework and fostered good relationship with the academic institutions specialized in DRR, The council has sponsored a DRR training manual in Arabic.

• through the National DRR Project developed Disaster Loss & Damage Database using DesInventar methodology. Thus Sudan Risk Profile is Produced.

• Networking for volunteers are also adopted to guarantee timely response to disasters.

• The council is also expected to benefit from the National DRR project outcomes supported by the UNDP which launched Multi-hazard Early Warning System whereas SOP is already written and disseminated among various actors.

Final Remarks • Resilience building is as the same as the Disaster Risk Reduction is an unfinished business it needs support and political will. • Khartoum State is a typical example where almost all hazards are playing out they needed to be addressed by vigilance and commitment. • We do aspire to build a culture of Safety and Resilience so that every citizen would enjoy a healthy and productive life free of disaster risks.

THANKS