Southern African Development Community's Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC)

As climate shocks intensify across the Southern Africa region, early warning systems and coordinated disaster response are no longer optional, they are essential. iMMAP is proud to support this imperative through a technical partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) to strengthen the Southern African Development Community's Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC), based in Nacala, Mozambique.

The SHOC Initiative

Funded by the European Union's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG-ECHO), this initiative brings together a consortium of specialized technical partners — iMMAP, MapAction, ESRI, and WeRobotics — under WFP's leadership.

The project's objective is clear: equip the SHOC and National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMAs) across the region with the tools, data systems, and technical capacity needed to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to disasters more effectively.

Core workstreams include the integration of geospatial tools, GIS platforms, and hazard data analytics into Disaster Risk Management (DRM) functions — building a more resilient regional architecture for humanitarian preparedness.

Project Snapshot

A Broader Strategic Partnership

Beyond this initiative, iMMAP serves as a key Standby Partner to WFP globally, deploying Information Management Officers and data analysts to surge operations during major humanitarian crises. This collaboration spans food security data collection, Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) compilation, and emergency response across contexts including Sudan, Ukraine, and the Middle East.

The SHOC project reflects iMMAP's broader strategic direction: deepening partnerships with regional disaster management bodies and UN agencies to deliver tailored, localized information management solutions where they are needed most.