Achieving Sendai Framework in Africa: Progress and challenges toward Target E

15 Disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies are critical for formalizing effective disaster risk reduction. 16 The overall objective of this study was to assess the progress the Africa Union member states are 17 making in developing DRR strategies as required by Target E of the Sendai Framework. The study 18 used both qualitative and quantitative approaches where in-depth desk review of DRR strategies and 19 online questionnaires were administered to 53 respondents. The findings shows about 68 % of the 20 AU member states have national strategies and 35 % have sub national strategies but generally there 21 is sluggish progress in updating DRR strategies in accordance with Sendai Framework Target E. 22 Weak technical and institutional capacities, inadequate funds, limited decentralization of DRR and 23 poor governance are key challenges hampering their implementation. Governments in Africa and 24 partners should pay immediate attention to accelerate development of risk-informed strategies to 25 achieve the aspirations of the Sendai Framework. 26 27


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Africa countries face a myriad of development challenges from poverty and environmental 32 degradation to rapid population growth and urbanization that they are struggling to surmount though 33 development planning. These development challenges interact with natural and human induced 34 hazards to create disaster risks which have potential cascading impacts across the continent (Fraser 35 et al., 2017). Building societal resilience to prevent losses and damages to assets and livelihoods 36 from disasters is a major concern of the disaster risk reduction strategies and plans. The Sendai strategies. The AU with six economic communities plays a strategic guidance role to the member   89 Africa has made remarkable strides in economic growth averaging 4.5 per cent in the last two decades. 90 There has been remarkable improvements in life expectancy, school enrolment, and reduction in threat by disaster and climate change risks. The continent is exposed to a wide range of hazards 95 mainly hydro meteorological such as floods, drought, landslides, storms and cyclones. Besides, the 96 continent is exposed to small and every day hazards such as fires, localized floods, road crashes and 97 pest and disease outbreaks that cannot be ignored as they cause a lot of human suffering. These    It is instructive to note that majority of the people impacted by disasters are the vulnerable and the where over 1,300 mortalities were recorded and another 3 million directly affected (Pelling and 137 Garschagen, 2019). Most of the affected were the poor whose daily income was less than USD 1.9, 138 lived in remote isolated places and in coastal settlements that were completed cut off from emergency     x. If it has mechanism for follow up and reporting.

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There is consensus among many DRR practitioners that developing and implementing of DRR  measures. Decentralization of DRR has also potential to address marginalization of communities, 220 enhance conflict resolution, reduce inequality and augment provision of goods and services (Oloo,221 2007; Amolo, 2010). The other reason advanced for decentralization for DRR is that it is effective 222 in promoting productive efficiency, promotes pro-poor policies, encourages participation of the at 223 risk communities and promotes transparency and accountability in governments (Nyandiko, 2020).

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It is important to note that we are already past the year 2020 when Target E was set to be achieved.

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As we proceed toward 2030 countries need to be supported to accelerate the implementation of the inclusive and transparent governance mechanism at national and local levels.

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Research has also shown that the first step in developing and implementing DRR strategies is the

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This study assesses the progress countries are making to develop risk informed DRR strategies, Analytical framework for design and implementation of DRR strategies 319 The analysis of the framework for this study was guided by the Sendai Framework. Taking 320 cognizance that a DRR framework requires strategic effort to formulate and implement, a number of 321 critical elements are envisioned as shown in Table 1.   Further analysis of 17 DRR strategies and plans from the member states indicates that five were 361 adopted before 2015 and therefore can be assumed to be aligned to the Hyogo Framework for Action 362 (HFA). Thus, it can be assumed that six out of 15 policy frameworks sampled from Africa (Djibouti, 363 Gambia, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda) are yet to be aligned to the Sendai Framework since they 364 were developed before 2015 (Table 3)  infrastructure, health, agriculture and environmental among many others, for example, can also play 380 a significant role to reduce risks in the sectors. Regulating land use by adopting good building codes, 381 for example, through government sectors responsible for urban and land use planning have shown 382 capacity to reduce disaster risk that governments need to make. They can address many disaster risks 383 such as seismic risk or underlying disaster risks as a result of rapid urbanization and construction of 384 buildings that does not meet safety standards in the continent (Kioko, 2014).  can contribute to enhancing food security and resilience to sustainable development in Africa's dry 397 lands (Omoyo, et al., 2015). This observation raises serious concern on the extent sectoral strategies 398 and plans are appropriately designed and implemented to complement the existing standalone DRR 399 strategies and frameworks in the continent to support effective disaster risk reduction efforts.

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In-depth analysis of the national DRR frameworks indicates most lack important elements as required 401 by Target E of the Sendai Framework. Target E has ten elements for the two indicators on developing 402 DRR strategies that aim to measure improvements in the existence and quality of actionable public     The little resources dedicated for DRR are evidence of low priority accorded to DRR by decision 493 makers and limited understanding of disaster risk in the continent (Nyandiko, 2020 policies and plans with limited impact on reducing disaster vulnerabilities and risks (Twigg, 2015). 502 This finding suggests that it is not the number of DRR instruments that are important in the continent 503 but the extent these strategies are enabled with adequate resources from national governments and 504 stakeholders to support their implementation.

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This results implies that increasing awareness and knowledge on DRR to local communities and local 519 decision makers has significant influence to accelerate the adoption of DRR in communities.

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Interviewees and analysis of the instruments were congruent that funding for DRR is skewed to 521 national level in many countries in the continent such as in Uganda, Malawi, Kenya and South Africa, 522 to name but just a few, with funds earmarked for DRR frequently diverted to other interventions that

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The study has noted there systematic commitment by most member states in development of DRR 537 policies and strategies to support implementation of risk -informed planning. DRR policies, legal 538 frameworks, national DRR platforms to support coordination as well as dedicated institutions for 539 DRR are in place in most of the member states. However, some countries have yet to develop and 540 align their DRR strategies to the SFDRR one year into the deadline of developing these national and 541 DRR strategies. However, the research has shown that by measuring the number of national and sub 542 national DRR strategies is not enough but it critical to ensure these instruments incorporates the ten 543 elements and should be appropriately aligned to the global and regional frameworks as envisaged in  The authors declares there is no known competing interest or relationships that would have 568 appeared to influence production of this work.