Addis Ababa, December 18, 2023 (FBC) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mr. Demeke Mekonnen received a delegation led by the Director General of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group, an African Union Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Cheikh Diong today.
During the meeting, Demeke, said that it was a good opportunity to be a member of this emerging Insurance Group and said disasters, be it man made or natural, are at times inevitable, however it is the forecasting, preparedness and response to them that makes the difference.
Mr. Demeke also said setting up an early warning national capacity and putting in place robust response mechanisms followed by rehabilitation and rebuilding works are essential steps to cope with disasters and Ethiopia has been doing so through the National Disaster Prevention and Response Commission which has a Secretariat that is comprised of different line ministries.
He said that Ethiopia has a Disaster Management Strategy, although, it is under revision to make it more focused on agriculture and help the country build its own capacity to withstand disasters.
For his part, Mr. Ibrahim Diong congratulated Ethiopia for joining the ARC. He said a high-level delegation that accompanied him shows the strong partnership and collaboration ARC wishes to have with Ethiopia.
ARC is committed to working with Ethiopia in responding to disasters based on the country’s need, he added.
Mr. Diong also mentioned that the insurer now has 39 member states and envisions working with these states in managing disasters such as drought, flooding, and epidemics to protect the lives and livelihoods of Africans through various instruments that it provides across the continent.
The Director General expressed ARC’s intent, sooner than later, to put in contact a Technical Working Group with its Ethiopian counterpart which would in turn yield a Technical Team that would work on issues such as the affordability of premiums and the need for subsidies, should there be any, and will produce a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between ARC and Ethiopia, per MFA Ethiopia.