Building resilience to disasters and climate change will not only protect the fruits of development in Africa, but is also necessary to further propel inclusive growth in the continent, global leaders meeting in Japan agreed on Sunday.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, speaking to heads of African governments and international institutions at an event during the 5th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), made it clear that disasters are a serious threat to development – both in developing and in developed countries.

“As Japan painfully experienced in 2011, disasters are perhaps the most urgent threat to human security and development. Climate change is only going to make things worse,” Abe said. “Japan is committed to supporting African countries and communities as they strive to build resilience.”

This is an especially urgent challenge for Africa. “Africa is the engine of growth of the future,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. “But with its population growth, rapid urbanization, and environmental pressures it is also extremely vulnerable to the impacts of disasters and climate change.  Future-proofing African development by building resilience will determine how successful we are at ending extreme poverty and creating shared prosperity.”

Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the African Union noted that Africa has held steady economic growth for the past decade, with growth rates well over 5 percent in recent years.

“This is the time for action,” said Desalegn. “We can’t afford to see countries and communities locked in growth paths that are not sustainable. We must work with the international community to develop national and local capacity to manage disaster and climate risks.”

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