CISONECC Urges Government to Fast-track DRM Bill to Address Climate Change Challenges

Lilongwe, Malawi - The Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC) has called on the Malawi government to expedite the enactment of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) bill as a way of addressing climate change challenges in the country, writes Memory Phoso.

CISONECC National Coordinator Julius Ngoma appealed during a press briefing on Thursday in Lilongwe.

"The DRM bill will help to manage disasters, and risks, and provide a comprehensive way of managing disasters," Ngoma said.

He added that predictable financing for disaster financing is critical in the country, as it currently draws resources from the unforeseen budget whenever there is a disaster.

Ng'oma emphasized that the government should amend and finalize the DRM bill, as the 1991 Disaster Preparedness Relief Act only focuses on disaster response and not preparedness.

He stated that an updated act would align the country with the international frameworks on disaster risk reduction and strengthen the policy framework.

"As a country, we need to recognize that we will continue experiencing extreme weather conditions due to climate change. For the country to withstand such extreme weather events, we need to have the DRM bill finalized and enacted," Ng'oma said.

Environmental activist Matthews Malata welcomed the move, stating that the country has been suffering from the results of cyclones each year.

He said that the bill would help the country prepare for the risks.

Political expert Vincent Matiya Chirwa also supported CISONECC's appeal, saying that letting DODMA be a stand-alone department is a welcome idea.

However, he expressed doubts about whether politicians would allow DODMA to be independent, as they might benefit from the department.

CISONECC has been lobbying for the enactment of the DRM Bill since 2014. Once enacted, the bill will ensure that there is designated funding from the national budget for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), which will be independent of political interference.

The DRM Bill will also empower the government to focus on disaster risk reduction and promote transparency and accountability in climate finance, among other things.