Cooperative Governance hosts 2025 Africa, Europe and Middle East (AEME) Earthquake Response Exercise in Gqeberha, 1 to 5 Dec

The Government of South Africa, through the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), will host the Africa, Europe and Middle East (AEME) Earthquake Response Exercise (ERE) 2025 from 1 to 5 December 2025 in Gqeberha, at the Nelson Mandela University, situated in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape.

The Exercise is part of the global programme of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), mandated by UN General Assembly Resolution 57/150 to strengthen international cooperation and coordination for urban search and rescue (USAR) in major disasters. The 2025 event will bring together national responders, provincial and municipal role players, international USAR teams, Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs), UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) experts, and humanitarian partners from across the AEME region.

Hosted under the leadership of the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, the ERE serves as South Africa’s largest disaster readiness simulation to date and represents a major milestone in advancing the country’s role as a continental hub for emergency response.

The 2025 ERE will simulate a large-scale earthquake affecting a densely populated urban area, followed by cascading hazards such as flooding, hazardous material incidents, and service interruptions. This multi-hazard scenario will test South Africa’s ability to coordinate complex operations involving:

• Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)
• Flood and water rescue
• Emergency medical response
• Evacuation and shelter management
• Humanitarian relief operations
• Inter-agency communication and strategic coordination

The Exercise will also validate national protocols for requesting, receiving, and coordinating international support in a major disaster. It builds on South Africa’s commitment to strengthening the national disaster management architecture, improving readiness across the spheres of government, and deepening collaboration with international partners. It aims to:

• Enhance coordination among national, provincial and municipal disaster management centres
• Strengthen interoperability between police, fire services, EMS, defence, and humanitarian actors
• Promote regional cooperation with SADC partners
• Apply INSARAG and UNDAC methodologies in a real-time national context
• Develop a common operating picture for large-scale disaster response
• Build practical skills through workshops, tabletop exercises, and field simulations

“Hosting the AEME Earthquake Response Exercise highlights South Africa’s commitment to global disaster cooperation and our responsibility to protect lives. This exercise strengthens our readiness, sharpens our coordination systems, and positions our country as a leader in regional and international emergency response,” Minister Hlabisa said.

For media enquiries kindly contact:

Ms Pearl Maseko-Binqose
Media Liaison Officer to the Minister of CoGTA
Cell: +27 (82) 772 1709

Mr Legadima Leso
Head of Communications, CoGTA
Cell: +27 (66) 479 9904

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