Moving the needle on anticipatory action: the 2nd MENA Dialogue Platform gets under way
The 2nd Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Humanitarian Action began today. Around 50 participants met in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for focused discussions about how to build upon recent progress in the region.
During the opening ceremony, Her Excellency Sybille Pfaff, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dubai, reiterated why these events are so pivotal to scaling up anticipatory action: “The dialogue platforms and discussions among governments, donors and humanitarian actors provide valuable opportunities to align our efforts and strengthen our collective impact.”
As more communities, organizations, governments and donors engage in anticipatory action, collaboration and exchange among all of us become increasingly vital to create synergies and avoid the duplication of efforts. We must coordinate our investments and actions to ensure greater and more effective impact for the people at risk of disasters, [including] here in the MENA region.
Following the opening ceremony, participants enjoyed a variety of sessions, including a refresher in the fundamental concepts of anticipatory action, as well as an opportunity to learn from country experiences in Bangladesh, Iraq and Mozambique.
Another session focused on anticipatory action for extreme heat, a hazard that affects many countries in the MENA region. This session brought together speakers from the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), UNICEF (the United Nations agency for children) and the Lebanese Red Cross to exchange experiences and lessons from Asia, Africa and South America that can be applied to MENA. The discussion considered the tools for tackling heat, the data needed for forecasts, and regional approaches to coordination for this hazard. Another focus area was the importance of protecting children, who are particularly vulnerable to heat-related health risks.
Moving forward in challenging contexts
The event is being held under the theme 'From connection to action: moving the needle on anticipatory action in the MENA'. Advancing this approach is especially challenging in this part of the world, given the many complex crises people here face. A session led by the Danish Refugee Council looked at how this approach can be implemented in conflict settings, which is one of the drivers of the displacement seen in the MENA region, alongside the overlapping climate- and disaster-related risks. "There is a clear displacement gap in our anticipatory action frameworks, which often exclude conflict-induced displacement due to both rigid trigger models and data limitations," explained Ana Marie Dizon, Danish Refugee Council.
Participants heard about recent advances in forecasting methodologies for conflict-induced displacement. There is also greater recognition of compound risks and secondary displacements. "[With these], we can shift to adopt integrated, flexible and inclusive frameworks, in the same pioneering spirit that found us experimenting and developing anticipatory action approaches at the start," Ana Marie Dizon noted.
The need for anticipatory action in contexts of fragility, conflict or violence – which sadly also affect this region – is more urgent than ever, as climate change continues to impact vulnerable communities, regardless of the political or security context.
The regional roadmap: a guide for progressing
Over the next two days, the participants in Dubai will consider how anticipatory action can continue to grow in the MENA region and support more people in the face of increasing climate and humanitarian risks. These discussions will be guided by the regional roadmap for 2024 to 2029, which was drafted during the inaugural event in 2024. There will also be opportunities for participants to develop their skills and knowledge through training in anticipatory action and impact-based forecasting, as well as further sessions that will showcase evidence and best practices from the MENA region.
The 2nd MENA Dialogue Platform is hosted by the Anticipation Hub, an initiative of the German Red Cross, the IFRC, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre. It is co-organized by the World Food Programme and supported by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Weather and Climate Information Services (WISER) programme, which is funded by UK International Development and managed by the UK Met Office.
Thanks to Joshua Stepputat, Verena Kausche (German Red Cross), Mary Anne Zeilstra (Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre) and Ana Marie Dizon (Danish Refugee Council) for their inputs.
Photos by Lama El Chidiac, IFRC.