Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has called for stronger early warning systems, improved disaster preparedness and regional cooperation to protect lives and livelihoods from climate-related disasters across Eastern Africa.

Speaking at the Second Eastern Africa Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action in Mombasa, Murkomen urged governments to prioritise preventive action against disasters such as floods and droughts rather than wait until emergencies occur.

He said Kenya is integrating disaster risk reduction into national development plans through resilient infrastructure, improved forecasting and financing mechanisms to support early intervention.

Murkomen also urged county governments to ensure vulnerable groups, including women, children, older persons and people with disabilities, receive timely and accessible disaster warnings.

He called on member states of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to strengthen regional cooperation through information sharing, coordinated warning systems and reliable disaster preparedness funding.

The three-day forum, organised by IGAD in partnership with the Government of Kenya under the theme “Transforming Risk into Resilience,” seeks to strengthen regional strategies for anticipating and mitigating climate-related disasters.