Preparing for “El Niño”.. Climate Experts Set a Roadmap to Enhance Resilience in Africa

Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, hosted the activities of the 21st African Continental Climate Outlook Forum, with broad participation from climate scientists, policymakers, humanitarian organizations, and meteorological experts from across the African continent.

According to the Pharos Center for Strategic Studies, the continental forum aimed to assess the conditions of the emerging El Niño phenomenon, examine its potential implications, and explore ways to strengthen preparedness measures and resilience to confront the unprecedented climate challenges facing African countries.

Dotty Chipamba, Permanent Secretary at Zambia’s Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, affirmed that scientific evidence has become clear and requires countries to immediately intensify preparedness measures, despite the uncertainty surrounding the scale of the expected impacts of the El Niño phenomenon for 2026/2027.

Chipamba explained that the real challenge no longer lies in whether climate shocks will occur, but in the extent of the continent’s readiness to anticipate, manage, and mitigate their effects. He noted that the increasing occurrence of droughts, floods, and heat waves requires strengthening cooperation, exchanging scientific knowledge among countries, and unifying visions to confront these crises.

For his part, Harsen Nyambe, Director of the Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Division at the African Union, stressed the necessity of transforming all climate forecasts into tangible practical actions that directly benefit African communities in the fields of relief and development.

Nyambe pointed out that the current indicators warning of the possibility of an El Niño event highlight an urgent need for the combined efforts of governments, scientists, and development partners to formulate an immediate and shared understanding of climate drivers and their expected impacts, and to bring the continent to the highest level of preparedness to protect its peoples and economies.