Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Conference in Africa
Every minute matters: Africa moves to strengthen life-saving search and rescue
Mombasa, Kenya, 4 November 2026 – When disaster strikes, minutes can mean the difference between life and death. From 3 to 6 November, governments, emergency authorities, search and rescue professionals, humanitarian organizations, technical experts and development partners from across Africa are meeting in Mombasa for the International Conference on Strengthening Search and Rescue Services in Africa.
Co-organized by the Government of Kenya, the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (EMERCOM of Russia) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the conference comes as floods, storms, earth tremors, building collapses and other emergencies continue to threaten lives and livelihoods across the continent.
“No nation is immune from disasters, and no country should face major emergencies alone,” said Dr. Dr Duncan Ochieng, Director of the Government of Kenya’s National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU). “This conference reflects Africa’s commitment to strengthening life-saving search and rescue capabilities through cooperation, innovation and mutual support. By working together, we can build more capable, interoperable and resilient response systems that save lives and reduce suffering.”
For Kenya, the need is clear. Over the past five years, the country has recorded 98 building and structural collapses, resulting in 104 deaths and more than 80 injuries. Community members and local police are often the first to respond, and their actions in those first moments can be critical. But preventing further loss of life also requires better urban planning, zoning and oversight of construction.
Because major emergencies can overwhelm national capacities, the conference places regional cooperation and mutual assistance at the centre of its discussions.
“Effective Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) begins with capable national systems, empowered local authorities, trained responders and communities that are prepared to act,” said Sarah Muscroft, Chief of OCHA’s Response Branch.
Effective rescue depends on three things: trained personnel, the right equipment and teams that can operate as one. Participants will explore how emergency services, civil protection authorities, military responders, medical teams and humanitarian organizations can coordinate more effectively. They will also look at how search and rescue (SAR) and urban search and rescue (USAR), two distinct but complementary capabilities, can be strengthened within national emergency management systems. The conference is expected to identify priority needs
in training, equipment, institutional development and regional cooperation, which will help shape future technical assistance, partnerships and investment.
With support from EMERCOM of Russia, which chairs the Africa-Europe-Middle East Regional Group of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), the conference will also assess regional capabilities, strengthen alignment with international standards and build a stronger mutual assistance network among African countries.
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Media contacts:
Government of Kenya: Dr. Duncan Ochieng, Director of National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU), duncanochieng@ gmail.com, +254722447130
Government of Russia: Olga Manankova, Ministry of Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (EMERCOM), [email protected], +79042128708
OCHA: Jane Kiiru, Public Information Officer, [email protected], +254721629251
Source: reliefweb.int
