Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Jenfran Muswere has announced that Zimbabwe will host the 29th edition of the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-29) from August 18th to 30th, 2024.
The forum, which will be held in Harare, is expected to provide Zimbabwe with an opportunity to showcase its national early warning system infrastructure to the region.
Addressing the media during a cabinet briefing, Muswere stated that the gathering would reach a consensus on the status of the 2024/2025 rainfall season.
“SARCOF-29 will bring together climate scientists from the 15 member states of the SADC region who are expected to come up with a consensus on the 2024/2025 rainfall season, which will then be shared with stakeholders from around the region,” he said.
The forum comes against the backdrop of severe climate change impacts that have caused droughts in many countries in Southern Africa.
Investing in early warning systems is crucial as it minimizes loss, damage, and the substantial costs resulting from floods, droughts, or storms caused by extreme weather conditions.
Zimbabwe will host the forum following Mozambique, which hosted SARCOF-28 under the theme: “The Future of Climate and Water Across Generations of the SADC region.”
SARCOF is a flagship event for the SADC CSC, organized through the Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Application Programme (ClimSA), funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the SADC Secretariat.