ANTANANARIVO – The United States Agency for International Development, through its Office for Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), is providing help to the urban commune of Antananarivo (CUA) to cope with natural disasters through a project named “IARIVO.”

Implemented by a USAID partner—CARE and the urban commune of Antananarivo, this $835,000 project will benefit directly to 91,000 residents in the capital city. The IARIVO project will contribute to strengthening the disaster resilience of 75 flood-prone communities (fokontany) in the commune, and improve their disaster preparedness. It is the first project of its kind for an urban population and will inform future interventions in disaster preparedness.

The main activities of the project include helping the communities get organized, informed, and better prepared to reduce flood-related risks; increasing the technical knowledge in the city administration about disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management; and creating the conditions for greater support to the CUA’s efforts to address disasters in Antananarivo.

“The United States has always stood by the side of Madagascar, and provided our support for the well-being of the Malagasy people in various areas,” said US Ambassador Robert T. Yamate who attended the signing of the Partnership Convention. “I look forward to hearing about the positive impacts of this project on the beneficiary communities.”

An emergency response database will be put in place through a public-private partnership between CARE, a Telma, and the urban commune of Antananarivo. Furthermore, approaches for disaster preparedness will be identified through partnership with the department of disaster management and risk reduction, University of Antananarivo. The Chief of district and Mayors of neighboring communes will also partake in this project via an information sharing platform.