Last week in Addis Ababa the International Water Management Institute and the World Food Programme brought together disaster risk managers, flood modelers and researchers from local, national and international institutions to push forward a Digital Twin for flood response in Dolo Ado District, Somali Region, Ethiopia.
The workshop reviewed progress in generating flood risk information and concentrated on making the Digital Twin user-centered so it reflects the real needs, workflows and data requirements of those on the front lines of flood management. Participants emphasized that accurate, actionable flood risk data is essential for timely decision making.
Through a co-design approach stakeholders are shaping a Digital Twin that supports smarter early warnings and more sustainable land-use decisions. Discussions produced improved tools and data for flood early warning and identified optimal locations for water-level sensors to enhance monitoring and model accuracy.
Attendees also agreed on clear requirements for local hosting of the Digital Twin and set capacity-building priorities for users to ensure the platform can be operated and maintained locally. A commitment was made to test the platform during the 2026 flood season to validate performance under real conditions.
By translating technical innovation into practical steps, the Digital Twin initiative aims to strengthen resilience in Dolo Ado and enable more anticipatory responses to flood threats, improving protection for vulnerable communities.
