A Haddon matrix-based analysis of the anthropogenic drivers of floods in 10 Eastern African partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative 1990-2021

Floods are one of the most common and severe natural disasters attributed to climate change that affect the globe, especially in the less-resourced countries in the global south, including those in Eastern Africa (E.A). They have been increasingly reported to occur in the past decades in E.A, and it is crucial to understand their underlying risk factors before planning their relevant mitigation interventions. In this case, drawing on the results of a rapid review conducted a priori, this study used the Haddon matrix (HM) to explore and analyze the anthropogenic drivers of floods in ten partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in E.A, including Burundi, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda between 1990 and 2021. Accordingly, this study notes that the anthropogenic drivers that previously contributed to floods in the 10 partner countries of BRI in E.A were diverse, multifaceted, interrelated, and revolved around challenges of environmental degradation and encroachment on biodiversity and ecosystems, infrastructural and drainage systems, urbanization and physical planning, and socioeconomic development and the livelihood of the population. Efforts to tackle these challenges ought to be aligned with the implementation of the BRI agenda. In particular, this should draw on various opportunities contained in the BRI, as well as the Chinese success and vast experience in poverty alleviation and DRR. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to apply the HM in exploring the anthropogenic drivers of floods in the context of the BRI partner countries in the E.A and should act as a reference for further research on a similar subject matter.

Automated summary

This study applied the Haddon matrix to explore and analyze the anthropogenic drivers of floods in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries in Eastern Africa (E.A). The study found that the drivers of floods were diverse and interconnected, including challenges related to environmental degradation, infrastructure and drainage systems, urbanization and physical planning, and socioeconomic development. The study suggests aligning efforts to address these challenges with the implementation of the BRI agenda, drawing on China's success in poverty alleviation and disaster risk reduction.