PIROI recently brought all of its partners together in Reunion Island to review the past two years and set goals for its new programme.

On 25 and 26 October, PIROI held a meeting for all of its Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement members. The Presidents and Secretaries-General of the Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies of the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Tanzania, as well as representatives from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) gathered in St Denis for 2 days.

This biennial meeting was an opportunity for participants to report on the progress of cooperation activities that took place 2015-2017, and to identify priorities for the coming two-year period. Together they were able to highlight the importance of advocacy in integrating disaster risks into each member country’s national policies, as well as addressing resources to leverage funding and the growing need for training to build the capacities of Indian Ocean National Societies. Part of the meeting also focused on joint discussions about PIROI’s project to create a centre of expertise, training and innovation: the PIROI Center.

The meeting also contributed to participants’ mutual goal of reducing the impact of disasters and effects of climate change by sharing best practices and risk management experiences, especially as concerns the health crisis aspect that is particularly relevant in the region.