World Meteorological Organization and OCHA call for coordinated anticipatory action on El Nino

25 October 2026

A side event at the fourth session of SERCOM showcased the WMO Coordination Mechanism for humanitarians, which has delivered more than 750 tailored products since 2022. Around 50 participants attended. The World Meteorological Organization and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs issued a joint call for urgent, coordinated anticipatory action, noting that the El Nino event may be unprecedented in strength and is expected to peak toward the end of 2026. Regional risks identified include flooding in East Africa, drier conditions in Southern Africa, heat and wildfire hazards in Southeast Asia, and flooding and drought risks in the Americas. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, and Yi Wang, who leads the mechanism, took part. The mechanism has supported operations for Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar and Bangladesh and the 2025 earthquake in Myanmar.