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The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and African Development Bank (AfDB) today handed over Weather Monitoring Equipment to the Meteorological Services Department.
AfDB as the donor is working with UNOPS and the Government of Zimbabwe on the Post Cyclone Idai and Kenneth Emergency Recovery and Resistance Programme (PCIREP) which targets the districts of Chimanimani and Chipinge which were most affected by Cyclone Idai.
The project aims to restore service levels of transport, power, water and sanitation, and agriculture as well as strengthen the Government of Zimbabwe’s capacity in disaster preparedness and management.
Presiding over the handover ceremony, Hon July Moyo, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing said the equipment will be used by the Meteorological Services Department to improve monitoring weather developments in Chipinge and Chimanimani in which the latter district was the epicenter of the Cyclone Idai induced disaster in March 2019.
Hon Moyo said the provision of the equipment is in sync with Section 854 of the National Strategy Development 1 (NDS I, 2021-2025) which advocates for Improved Disaster Risk Management through Weather, Climate, and Seismology Services in the country.
“The goal is to prevent loss of lives and damage to assets and thus build the resilience of communities that are vulnerable and exposed to weather-related hazards. Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, the occurrence of weather-related shocks need not lead to loss of human lives as affected populations can take early action, following issuance of early warning information backed by scientific approaches through the use of the equipment being handed over to the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry.
“The Meteorological Services Department is the key early warning institution that requires substantial capacity building to be effective and efficient in providing real-time data to protect populations that are vulnerable and exposed to risks associated with the weather,” Hon Moyo said.
This is the third time stakeholders met to witness deliverables associated with the project. In previous ceremonies, IT equipment, vehicles, crane trucks among others, was handed over to project beneficiaries that also include ZINWA, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement as well as the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
The Minister said preparedness and response strategies for the Civil Protection Organizations during the 2021/2022 rainfall season are guided by the National Contingency Plan which was developed following the issuance of the regional and national forecasts which insinuated a normal to above normal rainfall season.
In her remarks, AfDB Country Manage, Ms. Moono Mupotola applauded the Government of Zimbabwe for its swift action to prepare and respond to the recent cyclones Ana and Batsirai.
“The coordination efforts to protect the lives of Zimbabwean citizens is highly commendable. We have witnessed the Government providing support for marooned people in Midlands, Mashonaland Central, and Mashonaland East. The Government was quick to provide temporary shelter for Budiriro, Mbire, Mutasa, and Nyanga with tents. Rehabilitation of damaged roads has also commenced through government resources
“Without a doubt, the hard lessons from Cyclone Idai have been learned; and the commitment to prevent such damage from occurring again is clearly evident. I assure you, Honourable Minister, and all present, that the African Development Bank supports you in your efforts for disaster preparedness, mitigation, and adaptation,” Ms. Mupotola said.
She reiterated AfDB commitment to support the Government of Zimbabwe as witnessed by the handover of weather monitoring equipment to the Meteorological Services Department.
Ms. Mupotola said in accordance with the priorities of the Sendai Framework, it is imperative to invest in disaster risk reduction for resilience since robust early warning systems are pivotal to risk reduction.
She said enhancing disaster preparedness mechanisms helps governments and all stakeholders to plan and respond effectively to disasters.
“Enhancing disaster preparedness also provides an opportunity to build back better in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Today, therefore, we provide weather monitoring equipment to MSD at the value of US$226,790 to increase capacity for early warning.
“This equipment includes digital barometers, automatic weather stations, digital stations, digital thermometers, standard rain gauges, and measuring cylinders. Our ability to detect, monitor, analyse and forecast weather-related disasters, allows sufficient time for the affected communities and relevant government entities to enact their disaster management plans.
“This support is provided under the institutional strengthening pillar of the Post-Cyclone Idai and Kenneth Emergency Recovery and Resilience Programme (PCIREP). In this pillar alone, AfDB has supported the government with a total of $1,627,000 consisting of vehicles, knuckle boom trucks, tents, backup power equipment, and tools for the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company, Department of Civil Protection and Meteorological Services Department,” she added.
PCIREP, now in its final year project with a grant of $25 million will also support enhanced agricultural productivity and construct sustainable socio-economic infrastructure for roads and bridges.
“In achieving our overarching objective to contribute to poverty reduction, the African Development Bank is also ensuring that all our investments are designed, installed, implemented, and managed to reduce and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. We remain devoted to underpinning the accomplishment of the sustainable development goals for Zimbabwe by promoting sustainable resilience and recovery.”
In a speech read by his deputy in the same ministry, Hon Barbra Rwodzi, Hon Mangaliso Ndlovu, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry said the relation between the Government of Zimbabwe and The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is impeccable.
He alluded to the fact that UNOPS started its operations in Zimbabwe just after Cyclone Idai hit the nation.
“Their response and commitment towards building back better in nine worst-hit districts across three provinces affected by Idai is quite overwhelming. Besides responding to Idai, UNOPS in Zimbabwe is helping build the foundations to support the country’s development agenda with a focus on sustainability and national capacity development. For those of you, who are quite versed in our National Development Strategy you know that UNOPS is a key partner in the Infrastructure and Utilities Sector Development.
“Through a range of services – including infrastructure, procurement, financial and human resources management services – UNOPS helps to accelerate the delivery and quality of humanitarian and development projects across the country,” Minister Ndlovu said.
Below is the list of equipment donated today:
- 5 x Hand Held GPS
- 2 X Automatic Weather Stations c/w observation network manager, workstation desktop, and additional guy wire set
- 3 x Digital Barometers
- 5 x Digital Stations c/w Indigo transmitter, relative humidity temperature probe, calibration kit for new instruments and solar power system
- 8 X Digital Thermometers, handheld humidity temperature meter
- 50 x PVC Rain gauges- standard