Implementing the Sendai Framework in Africa: Progress Against the Targets (2015–2018)

Abstract

Five years after almost all African states signed the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR), disasters still have a significant impact on the populations of Africa, their livelihoods, and the infrastructure on which they depend. In contrast with the period of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015, African countries not only adopted the SFDRR but also internalized the various priorities by developing an additional five targets applicable to the continent. This article takes a look at the progress made in Africa against the SFDRR and its seven targets thus far. To determine the progress, a mixed methods research approach was followed. The research found that African states are making progress, but decisive action is needed to reach the 2030 targets of the SFDRR. Much better data and information management are needed, and the limitations towards reaching the SFDRR targets must translate into community-based actions geared towards resilience building.