By Shire Abdi - Reporter
Ethiopia, July 31 2026 – African Union ministers met in Addis Ababa on Thursday to review Africa's preparedness for an anticipated 2026 Super El Niño after the African Union Commission warned that scientific forecasts indicate a 90% probability of the climate event developing later this year.
Opening the Extraordinary Ministerial Consultative Meeting on El Niño Preparedness and Continental Response, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE), Moses Vilakati, said the projected event could become the strongest since 1950, with peak intensity expected between November 2026 and February 2027.
Vilakati urged member states to move quickly from early warning to early action, warning that many parts of Africa could face severe droughts, devastating floods, prolonged heatwaves, food shortages, disease outbreaks and growing humanitarian needs if adequate preparations are not made.
"The difference between a manageable crisis and a humanitarian disaster will be determined by what we do before the impacts arrive," he said.
According to the African Union Commission, ministers, regional economic communities, meteorological agencies, development partners and United Nations representatives discussed strengthening early warning systems, disaster preparedness, climate-resilient infrastructure and financing for anticipatory action.
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Somalia's Commissioner of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), Mahmud Moallin Abdulle, told the meeting that Somalia remains among the African countries most exposed to recurring climate shocks, citing repeated floods, droughts, displacement, food insecurity and damage to livelihoods and infrastructure.
According to SoDMA, Abdulle called for greater sharing of meteorological information, increased investment in climate-resilient infrastructure and stronger financial support for anticipatory action, urging governments to ensure early warnings are translated into timely action.
Vilakati said lessons from the 2023–2024 El Niño underscored the need for coordinated action after droughts in southern Africa and floods in eastern Africa affected millions of people and strained national economies.
The African Union Commission said the ministerial meeting aims to strengthen continental coordination and preparedness while advancing Africa's climate priorities ahead of the COP31 and COP32 global climate conferences.