PM unveils bold strategy to combat drought, build regional resilience
Bh Siphesihle Dlamini
The Kingdom of Eswatini has taken a decisive step toward combating one of Southern Africa’s most persistent threats: drought.
At a landmark event held in the serene Ezulwini Valley, aptly called the “valley of heaven,” Prime Minister Russell Dlamini officially launched three vital initiatives aimed at strengthening regional and national resilience to climate-induced disasters.
These initiatives, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Disaster Risk Reduction Platform, the Eswatini National Platform, and the Eswatini Drought Centre of Excellence, signal a new era of collaboration, innovation, and proactive disaster management across the region.
The Prime Minister opened the event by expressing his profound pride and humility in hosting this historic occasion. He emphasised that the launch reaffirms a collective commitment to “building a safer, resilient, and sustainable future for our region.”
Central to Eswatini’s national strategy is the Nkwe Programme of Action 2024–2029, with a particular focus on Objective 4, which aims to “improve food sovereignty and sustainable development by the year 2029.”
This objective aligns closely with the forum’s theme: “Towards a resilient SADC: advancing regional collaboration and innovation for drought risk management and early warning.”
Dlamini highlighted the urgency of addressing drought, describing it as a “silent crisis” that has historically shaped the region’s development and continues to threaten livelihoods, economies, and ecosystems.
He recalled the devastating 2015–2016 El Niño-induced drought that left nearly half of Eswatini’s population in need of humanitarian assistance.
The economic toll was staggering, with the drought costing approximately E3.84 billion, about 19 per cent of the national budget at the time and 7 per cent of the country’s GDP. This experience underscored the limitations of reactive disaster responses, which are “too costly, both in resources and in human suffering,” prompting the country to shift toward more strategic, long-term resilience building.
In response, Eswatini has adopted a comprehensive approach to drought risk management, prioritising infrastructure and policy reforms. The Prime Minister detailed the
“Eswatini Water Supply and Sanitation Access Project,” financed through a World Bank loan, which improved water access in the drought-prone Shiselweni region.
This initiative integrated water infrastructure, sanitation, and disaster risk management, reflecting a holistic strategy rather than a linear, sector-by-sector approach.
The PM reported that most project deliverables have been achieved or are nearing completion. These include the establishment of water infrastructure, development of risk profiles, municipal drought management plans, and the creation of the Composite Drought Index – Eswatini (CDI-E), a drought monitoring tool.
The National Drought Policy, a key framework integrating drought risk management into the broader development agenda, ensures that “planning, budgeting and implementation across sectors are informed by risk and sustainable efforts.”
Eswatini’s efforts are firmly rooted in global and regional frameworks. The Prime Minister cited the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030), which advocates understanding risk, strengthening governance, investing in resilience, and building back better.
He also referenced the 2015 Paris Agreement’s call to limit global warming while supporting climate adaptation, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially those focused on food security, water management, climate action, and ecosystem preservation.
Regionally, Eswatini aligns with the SADC Disaster Risk Management Strategy and Action Plan 2022, recognising that “only through collective action can we address the shared risks that transcend our borders.”
The launch of the SADC Regional Platform and the Eswatini National Platform represents a tangible step toward these ambitions. According to Dlamini, these platforms will facilitate “dialogue,
coordination, and joint action,” bringing together governments, communities, civil society, the private sector, academia, and development partners to co-create solutions that are “regional in scope but speaking to local realities.” They will also act as conduits for information dissemination and governance enhancement in disaster risk reduction.
A centrepiece of the event was the inauguration of the Eswatini Drought Centre of Excellence, envisioned as a hub for research, policy support, and innovation.
The Centre will leverage science and technology, including climate modelling and early warning systems, while integrating indigenous knowledge and citizen science, which have long been vital to local communities.
By bridging science and practice, the Centre aims to ensure that decisions made at the highest levels are grounded in the realities faced by vulnerable populations.
Dlamini urged the University of Eswatini, the World Bank, and the SADC Secretariat to collaborate closely with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) to operationalise the Centre for the benefit of the entire African continent.
Acknowledging the critical role of international support, the Prime Minister praised the World Bank Group for helping Eswatini shift its perspective on drought from a mere disaster response issue to a broader development initiative.
He expressed pride in the NDMA’s central role in resilience building, noting that its experience offers valuable lessons for institutions both locally and beyond.
Looking ahead, Dlamini painted a clear vision of the future: one where communities “anticipate risks and respond early and appropriately,” where regional solidarity is not just a principle but a “lived reality,” and where innovation in risk financing, social protection, and water management empowers people to “withstand shocks and continue to thrive in the face of multiple hazards.”
He called on all participants to make the gathering a defining moment, stating, “Let it be said that in Ezulwini, the ‘Valley of Heaven,’ in the Kingdom of Eswatini, we chose to strengthen our resolve, reinforced our partnerships, and raised our ambition.
” He challenged everyone to return home ready to implement the drought risk and resilience assessment methodology.
Concluding with a powerful African proverb, Dlamini reminded the audience: “When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind.”
His call to action was clear; through unity, commitment, and proactive measures, the region can deepen its roots of resilience and face the future with confidence.