SADC opens Johannesburg workshop to prepare for El Niño

Dr Manuel Lutango of the SADC Secretariat said El Niño could bring excess water or drought. He said, "It's either excess water or drought. So, at this stage, we are expecting both scenarios in different parts of the region."

The workshop is convened with the European Union and the Regional Anticipatory Action Working Group. Pumeza Tyali, Director of South Africa's National Disaster Management Centre, opened it for the South African Government. She said its success would be measured by the actions that come from its discussions.

Pablo Torrealba of the European Union's civil protection office said early warnings now arrive on time. He said the challenge is to turn them into pre-arranged financing, clear procedures, pre-positioned supplies and timely action. He said the EU has supported early warning systems and protocols over the past year.

Lewis Hove of the FAO Subregional Office for Southern Africa spoke for the working group. He said delays in funding, inadequate supplies and slow response systems had limited the effect of past interventions.