By Sabri Dibaco
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management has called on journalists and media practitioners to strengthen the dissemination of early warning information, saying timely and accurate communication can help communities prepare for hazards before they develop into disasters.
The call was made during the opening of a five-day training for journalists on early warning systems, risk communication, and last-mile dissemination, held at Palm Africa Hotel in Juba.
The ministry said communities across South Sudan are increasingly exposed to multiple hazards, including floods, drought, extreme temperatures, disease outbreaks, food insecurity, climate-related emergencies, and human-induced conflicts.
Betty Scorpas, a director at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, said timely information could make the difference between preparedness and crisis.
“An early warning is only effective when it reaches the people at risk, is understood and trusted, and is translated into appropriate early action,” Scorpas said.
She stressed that simply transmitting a warning message is not enough to make an early warning system effective. Communities must understand the information, know how it affects them, and be given clear guidance on what action to take.
Scorpas identified farmers, fishermen, pastoralists, traders, women in remote areas, young people, vulnerable households, and other at-risk groups as among those who need to be reached through effective early warning communication.
She described journalists as a critical link between scientific institutions, government, humanitarian and development organisations and communities.
“Journalists are not simply transmitters of information. You are an essential link between science, government, humanitarian and development institutions, and communities,” she said.
According to Scorpas, journalists have a responsibility to translate complex scientific and technical information into messages that are clear, accessible, timely, and relevant to the public.
The five-day training is expected to strengthen journalists’ understanding of hazard information, risk interpretation, early warning messages, risk communication, and last-mile dissemination approaches.
Scorpas called for a shift away from predominantly technical communication towards people-centred, impact-based, and action-oriented early warning messages.
She said effective warnings should clearly explain what is expected to happen, where and when it is likely to occur, who could be affected, the potential impacts, what people should do to reduce the risks, and where they can obtain further updates.
The ministry official also urged journalists to maintain accuracy and responsibility when reporting early warning information, particularly seasonal forecasts and other technical information.
She warned that poorly communicated information and misinformation could create confusion and undermine public trust in early warning systems.
The ministry said South Sudan needs an end-to-end, multi-hazard early warning system capable of addressing the range of threats facing communities across the country.
Such systems, it said, should cover hazards including floods, drought, disease outbreaks, conflicts, and other emergencies, while strengthening coordination among government institutions, regional organisations, humanitarian agencies, development partners, and the media.
The ministry specifically highlighted the importance of collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources, South Sudan Meteorological Services, and other relevant institutions.
The training is being conducted with support from regional partners, including the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC).
The ministry said strengthening the media’s capacity to communicate early warnings would help ensure that critical information reaches communities in time and, most importantly, enables people at risk to take action before hazards turn into disasters.