From 12 to 15 October 2026, Dr. Joseph Kimuli Balikuddembe, Associate Researcher at the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), Sichuan University, attended the International Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in Africa, held in Maputo, Mozambique. His participation followed an invitation from the African Union Commission (AUC). The conference, convened under the theme "Scaling Proactive Governance and Strategic Investment for Disaster Risk Reduction and a Resilient Africa," brought together African Union Ministers, senior policymakers, technical experts, scholars, researchers, and development partners from across the continent.

On the sidelines of the conference, Dr. Balikuddembe met with AUC staff, including Mr. Harsen Nyambe, to discuss potential avenues for collaboration between the AUC and IDMR. He also presented IDMR's teaching and research activities to fellow delegates and held talks with members of the AUC Africa Science and Technology Advisory Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (Af-STAG-DRR) regarding prospective cooperation.