Madagascar has officially commissioned its first humanitarian logistics hub, a move aimed at significantly boosting the country’s capacity to prepare for and respond to emergencies, particularly in cyclone-prone regions along its eastern coastline.
The facility, located in the eastern city of Manakara, was formally handed over to the Government of Madagascar by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the European Union (EU) during a ceremony held on January 21 in Rome. The hub is designed to serve as a strategic logistics centre for the prepositioning, storage and rapid deployment of humanitarian supplies during natural disasters and other crises.
Eastern Madagascar is among the areas most exposed to extreme weather events, with recurring cyclones, floods and landslides frequently disrupting livelihoods and access to essential services. Authorities say the new hub will sharply reduce response times by ensuring that life-saving relief items are available closer to at-risk communities, rather than being transported from distant locations after disasters strike.
The humanitarian hub is equipped to store food assistance, nutrition supplies, emergency shelter materials and other critical items needed in the immediate aftermath of shocks. It will also support coordination among government agencies, humanitarian partners and international organisations during large-scale emergency operations.
WFP officials said the initiative reflects a shift from reactive emergency response to proactive preparedness, noting that early action and well-positioned supplies can save lives and reduce the overall cost of humanitarian interventions. The agency added that the hub will strengthen national ownership of disaster response while complementing broader resilience-building efforts.
The European Union, which provided funding for the project, described the hub as part of its long-term commitment to disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Madagascar. EU representatives highlighted that investing in preparedness infrastructure is essential as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events across the Indian Ocean region.
For the Malagasy government, the handover marks a critical step in strengthening national disaster management systems. Officials said the hub will enhance coordination between central authorities and regional response teams, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach areas that often suffer the most severe impacts during emergencies.
The Manakara facility is expected to play a central role during future cyclone seasons, supporting faster, more efficient humanitarian operations and reinforcing Madagascar’s ability to protect vulnerable populations from the growing risks posed by climate-related disasters.
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