The ARISE Africa Regional Workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) was held from June 12 to 13, 2025, in Johannesburg, South Africa. This landmark event, hosted at Old Mutual Insure and convened by ARISE Africa members—including Old Mutual, the AI Center of Excellence (AICE), and the Africa Business Group—brought together stakeholders across sectors to explore how AI and digital innovation can enhance disaster resilience in the Southern African region. The focus was on moving from fragmented, reactive systems to integrated, predictive frameworks grounded in robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
Digital Public Infrastructure: A Foundation for Resilience
The workshop consistently emphasized that effective DRR must rest on well-designed DPI—open, interoperable, and inclusive systems that enable multi-stakeholder collaboration. Presenters showcased real-world examples of DPI components already in use across the continent. These included UNESCO’s AI-powered mobile chatbots that disseminate emergency information, satellite-fed early warning systems for floods, and TinyML devices capable of operating in low-power, off-grid environments to detect wildfires or landslides.
These technologies exemplify a shift from centralized control toward distributed intelligence—where local communities are not merely recipients of data but active participants in knowledge generation and response. DPI in this context is not just about tools—it is about equitable access, data governance, and collective resilience.
Overcoming Fragmentation: Systems Thinking and Coordination
A central intellectual contribution came from John Lomberg’s presentation of the Nine Universal Roadblocks (NUR) model. His framework diagnosed two root causes undermining disaster resilience: fragmentation and lack of impact. While technology is often celebrated as a silver bullet, Lomberg argued that without systemic alignment between stakeholders—engineers, policymakers, frontline responders, and communities—even the best tools will fail to translate into preparedness or mitigation.
This point was echoed across sessions: real progress depends not on more solutions, but on smarter integration. The gap between policy intentions and ground-level realities must be bridged by practitioners who understand both domains. Without a common language, shared data protocols, and coordinated governance, DPI cannot fulfill its potential.
Private Sector as a DPI Enabler
Several panels highlighted the growing influence and responsibility of the private sector in shaping DRR capabilities. From drone mapping startups to AI-powered supply chain tools, companies demonstrated that digital resilience can be both a public good and a commercial opportunity. These innovations are not only technical—they are redefining business models around preparedness, insurance, logistics, and development finance.
What emerged clearly was that the private sector must move beyond siloed corporate social responsibility and become active partners in co-creating regional DPI. This includes participating in standards development, offering interoperable data streams, and aligning products with public DRR goals.
Sector-Specific Applications of AI
Day two of the workshop offered a focused exploration of how AI tools are being deployed in high-risk sectors like mining and energy. Examples included the use of AI to optimize electricity grid responses to extreme weather events, or drones mapping escape routes in flood-prone regions. These applications revealed how DPI must be modular and adaptive, accommodating diverse use cases across different geographies and economic contexts.
There was also a strong emphasis on training and capacity building. Technology alone cannot drive resilience—what is needed are skilled individuals and organizations capable of operationalizing AI within their specific sectoral realities.
Network Mobilization and the Role of ARISE
Throughout the workshop, the importance of networks—formal and informal—was reiterated. ARISE Africa positioned itself not just as a convener but as a platform for sustained knowledge exchange, coordination, and joint investment. Stakeholders were encouraged to join the ARISE network and contribute to building regional centers of excellence and shared data infrastructure for DRR.
The workshop also served as a recruitment point for expanding the ARISE Southern Africa node, with participants like Queen Ndlovu of QP Drone Tech already stepping forward to join the initiative.
Conclusion: From Risk to Resilience via DPI
The Johannesburg workshop marked a shift in how DRR is being conceptualized in the region—from isolated interventions to ecosystem-level thinking. The message was clear: resilience is not only about responding to disasters when they happen but about building systems that can anticipate, adapt, and endure. Digital Public Infrastructure—when co-designed, well-governed, and broadly adopted—offers a transformative path toward this vision.
Investing in DPI is not just smart policy—it is a moral imperative in a region where climate volatility, inequality, and infrastructure gaps amplify risk. By anchoring DRR within a DPI framework, Southern Africa has an opportunity to not only manage disasters more effectively but also to redefine development through a lens of proactive resilience.
