Dr. Babafemi Badejo arriving Addis Ababa on October 15, 2018, at the African Union Head Quarter on a consultancy assignment on operationalizing the African Union Humanitarian Agency, which Yintab Strategy Consults had started on 1st of October 2018.

Africa has been plaqued with enormous natural and man-made disasters leading to many deaths and property losses.  Hence the approval of the establishment of an African Union Humanitarian Agency in January 2016 by the AU General Assembly.

It is hoped that this planned Agency would bring added value to the important efforts of member states of the African Union as well as Regional Economic Commissions (RECs) with humanitarian mandates and many Governments/inter-governmental organizations as well as private sector/civil society entities in Africa and the world at large.

It is important to prepare for emergencies through early warning systems and have well oiled arrangements to positively respond when emergencies actually occur.

This assignment would require rigorous consultations with the Africa Regional Bureau of the UN and the leadership/technicians at the ECOWAS. One of such was with the African Union 6th Humanitarian Symposium. All AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities, AU’s International Partners and a good number of AU ECOSOC recognized NGOs and experts.

November 29, 2018 was devoted to deliberations on the AU Humanitarian Agency (AUHA). It was an opportunity to share ideas on disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness/response plans by various stakeholders.