Lebanon is participating in the Global Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction launched in Cancun, Mexico. The Lebanese delegation was headed by the Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Defense and the Chairman of the National Disaster Risk Management Authority, Major General Saadallah Al-Hamad, accompanied by the Director of the Disaster Risk Management Unit at the Prime Minister’s Office, UNDP Natalie Zaarour, the Foreign Ministry Representative, Malik Mansour, For scientific research Dr. Shadi Abdullah, representative of the Lebanese Red Cross Kassem Shaalan and a delegation from the Union of Municipalities of Tire.
The Forum discussed, which lasted three days, a number of issues and topics of interest that relate to the efforts of the countries of the world to reduce the risk of disasters in order to mitigate the losses that may be caused by such disasters, States and peoples.
Supervisor
Major General Al-Hamad thanked Lebanon at the forum, pointing out that the Lebanese government puts the concept of disaster risk management within its priorities. Lebanon is committed to the international conventions that fall within this framework. The Government of Lebanon today seeks to combine the concept of disaster risk management with the achievement of sustainable development goals and the challenges of climate change in order to achieve maximum preparedness, confrontation and urbanization of risks and reduce them.
“I am honored to represent the Lebanese Republic in this important event, which aims to reduce disaster risk in the whole world. Difficult, predicted most disasters, whether natural or man-made, but these sudden events cause injuries and loss of life and property and infrastructure. Which adversely affect the social, economic and environmental situation and impede sustainable development in most countries. ”
Continued, “The state is primarily responsible for the protection of citizens and property than from hazards in their territory. Therefore, it is important to pay the state high priority to disaster risk reduction in national policy in a manner consistent with their capacities and resources available to them. Lebanon, like the countries of the region, A series of natural hazards. The most prominent of these risks is an earthquake that may be accompanied by the tsunami, in addition to other factors including: floods, forest fires, landslides, drought and storms. Which leads to disintegration Destruction and loss of life. ”
“The wars and crises that hit Lebanon in previous years, especially from 1975 to 1990, have strengthened the responsiveness of the Lebanese.” Lebanon has also experienced several natural and security disasters that have been effectively faced by the state agencies in terms of relief and rescue operations, but weaknesses have emerged in the field of preparedness and anticipation Coordination “.
“The Lebanese government has put together the concept of disaster risk management as one of its priorities and Lebanon is committed to the international conventions that fall within this framework.” The Lebanese government today seeks to combine the concept of disaster risk management with sustainable development goals and the challenges of climate change in order to achieve maximum preparedness and response. Urbanization and reduction of risk “.
He added, “In this context, and at the behest of the Prime Minister at the time, Mr. Saad Hariri, the Lebanese state was launched in 2010 in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program in Lebanon UNDP project to strengthen Lebanon’s capabilities in disaster risk management. The impact formed a technical unit of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Lebanon is distinguished from the countries of the region with a special unit dealing only with disaster risk management that provides technical support to the state in all its organs and coordinates among them in order to institutionalize risk management and establish common ground among all concerned and one culture and one language. Catastrophes”.
“Since the launch of this project, many achievements have been achieved. The national strategy for disaster risk reduction was first developed in accordance with international conventions in this area, including the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 and beyond the 2015-2015 work framework. The overall framework of the national response plan has also been developed during disasters and crises. We have drafted a law for the establishment of the National Disaster Management Authority which is currently being discussed in the relevant parliamentary committees in the hope that it will be adopted soon. A general early warning program is under development. Lebanon has conducted training courses on disaster risk management, especially the Lebanese Army, the Internal Security Forces, the relevant ministries and all governorates.
The workshop also aims at spreading awareness about the dangers of disasters through awareness campaigns, special publications, training in schools and universities to alert the younger generation of these risks and how to prepare for them, and organizing various training sessions throughout the year, using international experts to build the capacity of disaster risk management agencies. their diversity. work is underway on the implementation of the general framework of the national plan to respond during disasters and crises through the development of response plans based on studies and risk assessment, work was done on them in cooperation with the scientific research Council of the Lebanese. these plans put on all level T and in all sectors and at the national level and the sectoral level, ie in the relevant ministries and local level ie the provinces and municipalities. Each year, these plans put into testing through the organization of office and field exercises to enhance coordination between all organs and departments of the state and to activate the operating rooms. ”
“Disaster management operations rooms have been set up in all governorates and ministries concerned, equipped with a state-of-the-art telecommunication system that provides communication lines between them and the Central Operations Room at the Prime Minister’s Office. RisksDisasters. The work has been initiated by launching a study on the subject and setting up a framework for stakeholders to coordinate work and unify efforts. “All these achievements demonstrate Lebanon’s commitment to developing its potential for disaster management and risk reduction. I would like to emphasize through this forum that Lebanon continues to give priority to this issue, but it needs support and support for progress and development, especially as the challenges are becoming more and more difficult. Lebanon currently hosts more than 1.5 million refugees from neighboring countries because of the war in Syria, most of them living in precarious areas. “It is important to note that the achievement of these achievements depends on the funding of donor countries such as the European Union, the State of Kuwait and the Netherlands. We thank them for their interest and hope that they will continue to support them. “On behalf of the Lebanese State, I would like to thank the Global Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction for inviting us to participate in this important event, which is a forum for decision-makers and technicians to exchange experiences, views and knowledge of the different experiences and challenges facing the Girlfriend. I also commend the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) for their continued cooperation and support for the project to strengthen Lebanon’s capabilities in disaster risk management. On this occasion, I would like to thank the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which provides significant and important support to the Lebanese State in disaster risk reduction through the Disaster Risk Management Unit. “Finally, I conclude by saying that Lebanon considers disaster risk reduction a national and local priority and we hope that Lebanon A model for the Middle East region. “
