El Nino likely to cause droughts, floods and displacement across Africa

The World Meteorological Association (WMA) issued an advisory on Tuesday indicating that the upcoming El Niño episode is likely to trigger severe droughts, flash floods and population displacement across several African regions later this year. Climate models released by the WMA show a heightened probability of below‑average rainfall in the Horn of Africa and East Africa’s savannah zones, while the central and southern parts of the continent could experience intensified rainfall leading to riverine flooding. The association cautioned that the combined effect of water scarcity and flood damage could strain food security, health services and infrastructure, echoing similar crises observed during the 2015‑2016 El Niño cycle.

National governments have responded with a mixed level of preparedness. Ethiopia’s disaster management agency announced the activation of early‑warning systems and the pre‑positioning of emergency supplies in vulnerable districts, while Kenya’s Ministry of Water and Irrigation reported the launch of a drought‑mitigation fund aimed at supporting smallholder farmers. In contrast, the governments of Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo have not yet disclosed concrete contingency plans, and United Nations agencies have warned that funding gaps could limit rapid response efforts. The WMA emphasized that coordinated regional action and timely resource allocation are essential to mitigate the projected humanitarian impacts, urging authorities to accelerate preparedness measures before the peak of the El Niño season.