Windhoek is set to become a regional hub for climate and disaster preparedness as it prepares to host two major continental forums focused on enhancing Africa’s ability to manage climate risks and extreme weather events.
From June 23 to 27, 2025, the Namibian capital will welcome delegates from across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific for the Joint Second Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) Forum and the First Space for Early Warning in Africa (SEWA) Forum. The events are being jointly organized by the African Union Commission (AUC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, and the Government of Namibia.
In the lead-up to the forums, strategic coordination meetings for the ClimSA programme—namely the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) and the Continental Project Steering Committee (PSC)—will take place on June 19 and 20. These sessions will bring together representatives from African Union Member States, Regional Climate Centres, and technical partners to align efforts and offer strategic direction on the delivery of tailored climate services across the continent.
Held under the theme “Accelerating Access to Climate and Weather Services for Resilient African Economies and Communities,” the joint forum aims to spotlight how climate information is being used to strengthen decision-making in key sectors such as agriculture, health, energy, and disaster risk reduction.
At the heart of the discussions will be the ClimSA programme, which is spearheading efforts to integrate climate services into national and regional policy frameworks. The goal is to equip African governments with actionable climate data that can support long-term planning and rapid emergency response.
Running in parallel, the SEWA Forum will showcase the use of space-based technology in enhancing early warning systems. Backed by the Africa-EU Space Partnership, the SEWA project is using satellite imagery and Earth observation tools to improve the continent’s capacity to anticipate and respond to climate-induced hazards. In the SADC region, the project is helping to build multi-hazard alert systems capable of delivering accurate and timely information to at-risk communities.
Both ClimSA and SEWA are closely aligned with the Windhoek Declaration, which calls for increased investment in resilience-building, disaster risk reduction, innovative financing, and mechanisms to manage loss and damage linked to climate change.
Beyond sharing technical knowledge, the forums aim to demonstrate the tangible policy impact of these initiatives and explore how to scale their application for inclusive development. The event will also foster South-South cooperation, providing a platform for countries to share lessons learned and replicate best practices.