Antony Chawagarira
MASVINGO – Masvingo Province is set to take centre stage in regional disaster preparedness and resilience efforts as Zimbabwe hosts the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Sixth Ordinary Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management beginning this Sunday.
The high-level regional indaba, scheduled for 11–14 May 2026, will be held at the Great Zimbabwe Hotel and is expected to attract Ministers, senior government officials, development partners and members of the donor community from across Southern Africa.Hosted by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Local Government and Public Works under the theme “Building Back Better Together: Advancing Resilient Recovery and Sustainable Development in SADC,” the summit will focus on strengthening regional resilience against increasingly frequent droughts, floods and other climate-induced disasters.
According to a SADC communiqué seen by New ZIANA, the meeting will review progress made in the implementation of disaster risk management policies and programmes across the region while aligning regional strategies with the Africa Programme of Action for 2026–2030.
Delegates have already started arriving in Masvingo ahead of the official opening, with hospitality facilities, transport operators and tourism players preparing to host the regional guests. The city’s accommodation sector is expected to benefit significantly from the influx of visitors attending the conference.The Ministers’ meeting will be preceded by a gathering of Senior Officials Responsible for Disaster Risk Management running from 11 to 13 May 2026 at the same venue.
During the summit, delegates are expected to assess progress made in implementing resolutions adopted at previous SADC Summits of Heads of State and Government, the SADC Council of Ministers and earlier Disaster Risk Management meetings.
A key item on the agenda will be updates on the operationalisation of the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre, an initiative aimed at improving regional preparedness and strengthening coordinated responses to disasters such as droughts, cyclones, floods and disease outbreaks.
The meeting comes at a time when Southern Africa continues to face increasing climate-related challenges, with several countries battling the effects of El Niño-induced droughts, food insecurity and extreme weather events.Ministers are also expected to deliberate on strategic and operational frameworks designed to improve disaster risk reduction, emergency response systems and long-term resilience building across the region.
On the sidelines of the summit, a Ministerial Roundtable on resilient recovery will provide a platform for engagement between governments, international cooperating partners and the donor community on investment opportunities for post-disaster reconstruction and sustainable development initiatives.
The hosting of the regional conference is being viewed as a major boost for Masvingo, with local businesses and residents optimistic that the event will stimulate tourism, hospitality and commercial activity while enhancing Zimbabwe’s reputation as a destination capable of hosting major international gatherings.
Regional cooperation in disaster risk management has become increasingly important as Southern African countries seek collective solutions to the growing impact of climate change and natural disasters on livelihoods and economies.
