DiMSUR timeline

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• In April 2008 Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and the Union of Comoros endorsed the idea of establishing DiMSUR.

• A Feasibility Study was conducted and validated in 2012 with the goal of identifying the general challenges at sub-regional and country level, understanding the needs, risks and opportunities linked to the creation of the Centre and providing recommendations. The study concluded that there was a clear advantage at establishing a permanent sub-regional institution providing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) technical support to different stakeholders, working beyond the limited time period of projects and programs.

• Based on this Feasibility Study, UN-Habitat facilitated the preparation of a full proposal for the establishment and operationalization of DiMSUR. The proposal was submitted – with a formal endorsement at the highest political level of the four countries,to the ACP-EU Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Programme, and was approved in March 2013.

• The process of DiMSUR establishment was launched in Maputo, Mozambique by high representatives of Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and the Union of Comoros on the 3^rd of June 2013.

• DiMSUR’s Executive Board met for the first time in Abuja, Nigeria on the 12^th May 2014.

• DiMSUR Biannual Action Plan was drafted in May 2014. It identified three key priority areas: (1) Position  DiMSUR as service-provider on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRR/M), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Urban Resilience (UR); (2) Deliver tailored capacity building, training and demonstration activities across the four countries; (3) Promote partnerships with technical, academic and research institutions of Southern Africa.

• DiMSUR was legally established during the second Session of the Executive Board held on the 2^nd December 2014 when all four founding countries – Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and the Union of Comoros – and UN-Habitat, as facilitator of the Centre, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the Charter.

• A 10-year Strategic Plan was presented during the III DiMSUR Executive Board Meeting in Maputo, October 2015.[/fusion_text]