This is according to African Risk Capacity (ARC) Head of Government services Lucy Chamdimba Nyirenda who was speaking on Tuesday in Salima at an international Legal workshop on ARC treaty saying disasters in Africa are increasing and countries are challenged in disaster response thereby risking lives.

Cham'dimba Nyirenda says it is high time countries begin to attach a reasonable budget to disasters and ratify the ARC treaty which seeks to help member countries in such times of need.

"You know disasters in the continent are increasing, in terms of severity and frequency, it is now time for African countries to prepare for disasters that are coming in future, so they need to have their treaties ratified so that they continue to benefit from services ARC provide to its member states," Nyirenda said.

Meanwhile, Director for Land Resources in the ministry of Agriculture Gertrude Kambauwa says government is currently discussing the ratification of the ARC treaty, and legal experts will advise accordingly.

She acknowledges the importance of the treaty in as far as disaster preparedness is concerned to Malawi which is hit by disasters year in year out.

"African Risk Capacity is an institution that is supporting African Countries to manage disasters because of climate change, and Malawi has been impacted, so this organization provides resources and there is a treaty that member states need to ratify after signing and we are working at that, our legal team will help us." Said Kambauwa.

The African Union Assembly in 2012 decided to establish ARC as a special agency of the AU to handle issues of disasters management.

The workshop has brought together delegates from 7 member countries, Comoros Island, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Sudan, and Madagascar.