The African Development Bank (AfDB), the Mozambican government and South Korea’s Busan Technopark have launched a drone-based initiative to enhance disaster preparedness in Mozambique, one of Africa’s most disaster-prone countries.
The $967,000 Drone-Based Disaster Management Project, funded by the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Trust Fund, includes establishing a drone training centre to train 30 professionals and deploying drone-based monitoring systems in five high-risk flood zones.
“This project is not just about technology. It reflects the power of international cooperation, uniting governments, development institutions, and private sector partners in a shared mission: to protect lives, strengthen resilience and promote sustainable development,” AfDB country economist Flavio da Gama said.
The initiative aims to address recurring weather-related crises such as floods, cyclones and mudslides by enabling real-time disaster monitoring, early warnings and predictive flood modelling, strengthening Mozambique’s resilience to climate-related emergencies.
Mozambique is one of the most disaster-prone countries in Africa, with floods and cyclones alone causing severe destruction to infrastructure, agriculture and communities.
“We warmly welcome the Drone-Based Disaster Management Project as an innovative initiative that harnesses cutting-edge technology to strengthen our disaster preparedness and response,” Mozambique’s Communication and Digital Transformation Minister Muchanga Américo said during the launch event in Maputo.
The six-month project would also focus on knowledge transfer, empowering Mozambique to independently manage the drone technology for future disaster response efforts.
“Drones provide critical data for flood management,” Busan Technopark Changmoon Yang said.
South Korea is recognized as a leader in the development and use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or drones for real-time data collection and processing.
JN/APA