As part of strengthening the disaster risk management (DRM) sector and enhancing EDRMC's capacity towards its vision of building a disaster-resilient nation and community, efforts have been continuously underway to improve public communications. One such effort was the development of EDRMC's National Communications Strategy. To disseminate this strategy and foster collaboration, a national familiarization workshop was organized for 66 leaders and professionals from media houses, lead sector public relations and communications departments, and government communications services.

Participants represented major Ethiopian media outlets, including the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC), the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), and the Ethiopian Press Agency, as well as public relations and communications executives from key DRM sectors such as Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE), Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA), Ministry of Plan and Development (MoPD), Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI), Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands (MoIL), and EDRMC.

The workshop took place from August 10-11, 2024, in Sululta, Ethiopia, at the African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX) and was co-organized by EDRMC, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

EDRMC Commissioner, Ambassador Dr. Shiferaw Teklemariam addressing the participants on the role of media in DRM

The aim of the familiarization workshop was to create a conducive environment for EDRMC and lead DRM sectors to collaborate effectively with media leaders and professionals in Ethiopia. By enhancing public awareness of disaster risk management, the workshop sought to contribute to building a disaster-resilient community.

Primarily, the workshop targeted to familiarize media representatives with EDRMC's mandate, the evolving landscape of disaster risk management, the DRM policy and the newly developed national communications strategy. Participants were encouraged to provide input on the strategy, identify gaps in DRM reporting and discuss future collaboration. The workshop also included an exposure visit to a landslide-affected community in the Gofa Gaze woreda of Southern Ethiopia to highlight the human impact of disasters. Participants observed firsthand the challenges faced by affected communities and pledged to support recovery efforts.

Government Communications Service State Minister Selamawit Kassa, addressing the participants and speaking on the media's role in reporting self-reliance

The workshop received significant attention from the government, with a focus on engaging the media to build an informed public on disaster risk management. State Minister of Government Communications Service, Selamawit Kassa, addressed media leaders, DRM sector public relations and communications officials, emphasizing the importance of close collaboration with EDRMC to build a resilient and self-reliant nation. The minister outlined how the media could create engaging stories involving communities to enhance public awareness.

The state minister highlighted the media's crucial role in disseminating early warning messages and saving lives through effective reporting before, during, and after disasters. Emphasizing the potential to prevent loss of life and property damage, the state minister encouraged the media to focus on reporting disaster risk management efforts.

An exposure visit to a landslide-affected community in the Gofa Gaze woreda of Southern Ethiopia was included as part of the familiarization workshop which was held from August 5-8, 2024, a few days before the familiarization workshop. The exposure visit aimed at connecting the media leadership and professionals and engaging them in emergency crisis reporting with a view of mobilizing resources that could be used for supporting families of the lost lives and rehabilitating the displaced communities.

Landslide affected communities’ exposure visit at the Gofa Geze Woreda of Southern Ethiopia, August 2024

Landslide affected communities’ exposure visit at the Gofa Geze Woreda of Southern Ethiopia, August 2024

The landslide had tragically claimed the lives of 243 residents and displaced thousands. Visiting media leaders and professionals pledged to collaborate closely with EDRMC and regional authorities to support the rapid rehabilitation of affected communities.

Landslide affected areas community and families mourning for lives lost and victims in Gofa Geze of Southern Ethiopia during search and rescue operations, July 2024.

The exposure visit offered a valuable opportunity to bring media and DRM sector representatives together to discuss future collaboration and build a disaster-risk-informed community capable of self-reliance and resilience. Participants expressed gratitude for ADPC and EDRMC's efforts in facilitating a deeper understanding of the DRM sector, its policies, and the nation's vision.