For two days, two emergency operations centres located more than 1,000 kilometres apart operated as a single decision-making system. The national exercise, conducted under the Ready2Act project, tested Mozambique’s ability to turn early warning information into coordinated action, strengthening the link between national and provincial authorities.
When a tropical cyclone approaches the coast, time is measured not only in hours but also in the speed at which information reaches those responsible for making decisions.
This is precisely the capability Mozambique set out to test during the first national exercise organised under the Ready2Act project, held on 7–8 July between Maputo and Beira and involving both the National Emergency Operations Centre (CENOE) and the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre for Sofala Province.
Separated by more than 1,000 kilometres, the two centres operated as a single system while responding to a simulated tropical cyclone with characteristics comparable to Cyclone Idai, one of the most devastating disasters to affect the country in recent decades. The scenario included sustained winds of up to 195 km/h, more than 215 mm of rainfall within 24 hours, and progressively worsening conditions over a simulated five-day period.
The objective of the exercise was not to test forecasting capability, but to verify that every piece of information generated by the early warning system could be translated into timely, coordinated operational decisions.
An effective system depends on information flow
The effectiveness of an early warning system is determined not only by the quality of meteorological and hydrological forecasts. It also depends on the ability to ensure that reliable information flows seamlessly across institutions and throughout the entire decision-making chain, without delays or interruptions.
For this reason, the exercise focused on the operational link between the national and provincial levels. Forecast bulletins produced by the relevant technical agencies were transmitted through established communication channels, received by the operations centres, interpreted and translated into operational procedures, public communications and response decisions, following the same protocols used during an actual emergency. Every stage of the process was monitored and evaluated to assess its timeliness, consistency and effectiveness.
A key feature of the exercise was that it took place in the actual emergency operations centres, with personnel performing their regular institutional roles. Participants were not informed in advance of how the scenario would evolve or when new developments would be introduced, reproducing the uncertainty and operational pressure of a real emergency as closely as possible.
Two operations centres, one decision-making chain
The exercise also represented the first operational test of the two emergency operations centres upgraded through the Ready2Act project: the National Emergency Operations Centre (CENOE) in Maputo, responsible for coordinating emergency response at the national level, and the INGD Provincial Emergency Operations Centre in Beira, which serves Sofala Province. Before extending the system to district level, it was essential to verify that these upgraded facilities, procedures and communication mechanisms functioned effectively under realistic operational conditions.
For two days, the two centres shared operational procedures, information flows and decision-making processes, testing not only the technological infrastructure but, above all, the ability of institutions and personnel to operate as a single coordinated network.
Alongside the operational teams, the Exercise Control (EXCON) team directed the scenario in real time, while observers from the participating institutions monitored response times, communication quality and compliance with procedures, collecting the evidence that informed the final evaluation of the exercise.
First lessons learned
The final debrief provided the first assessment of how operational procedures functioned and how institutions collaborated within Mozambique’s national early warning system. Overall, the exercise confirmed a well-structured communication and coordination process between the national and provincial levels, supported by clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
One of the most significant findings concerned the role of the Conselho Técnico de Gestão e Redução do Risco de Desastres, the inter-institutional technical body through which the relevant agencies jointly review forecasts, determine alert levels and agree on the main preparedness measures.
The exercise also confirmed the strategic importance of the Sistema Integrado de Fluxo de Informação de Aviso Prévio de Cheias e Ciclones (SIFIAPCC), the national platform used to share bulletins, warnings and operational updates among institutions, providing a common operational picture to support decision-making. At the same time, the exercise highlighted the opportunity to broaden access to the platform, enabling a larger number of operators to use it routinely and further strengthening information sharing across the entire early warning system.
The Command Post Exercise demonstrated once again that an effective early warning system depends not only on the quality of forecasts, but on the capacity of institutions to interpret information, share it efficiently and translate it into coordinated action. The lessons learned will now inform the further consolidation of operational procedures and the next phase of the Ready2Act project, supporting Mozambique’s progress towards a more integrated Early Warning and Anticipatory Action system capable of better protecting communities exposed to extreme events.
Strengthening preparedness through cooperation
The exercise was jointly coordinated by the Italian Civil Protection Department and Mozambique’s National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD), with technical support from CIMA Research Foundation, under the Ready2Act project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
The project is implemented by CIMA Research Foundation in partnership with INGD, with logistical support from WeWorld and technical oversight provided by the Italian Civil Protection Department.
For two days, the tropical cyclone existed only within the exercise scenario. The coordination, decisions and collaboration among institutions, however, were entirely real. This is the value of a Command Post Exercise: transforming a simulation into a practical opportunity to strengthen an early warning system before it is tested by a real emergency.
