Abuja -The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has urged government at all levels to “galvanise the political will and support’’ to tackle root causes of disasters.
Dr Pa Lamin Zeyai, the programme’s Country Director in Nigeria, made the call at a two-day UNDP sponsored sensitisation workshop on a new framework for disaster risk reduction.
The workshop, known as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), was adopted at the 3rd United Nations conference in Japan, between March 14 and March 18.
It replaces Hyogo Framework Action (HFA) 2005 to 2015.
Zeyai noted that Hyogo framework which was adopted globally ten years ago to build nations and communities’ resilience to disaster had achieved its objectives.
He said the new framework focus on disaster preparedness, as well as helping communities mitigate the inevitability they faced before, during and after disasters.
“This has led to the birth of the Sendai framework 2015 to 2030. It is a continuation of the Hyogo framework, as well as introducing a new innovation.
“It is a 15-year voluntary non-binding agreement that recognizes the primary role of states in disaster risk reduction, as well as collective and shared responsibilities with other stakeholders,’’ he said.
According to him, in implementing the framework, we should combine disaster risk reduction with building resilience by developing the capacity of communities to bounce back from shocks.
“We must be able to deal with chronic shocks and stresses which keeps communities lock in a circle of crisis.
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“We must find local solution, which are very crucial to disaster risk reduction. What works in one community may not necessarily work in another,’’ he said.
Zeyai stressed the need to encourage local innovation by investing heavily in community-led disaster risk reduction progamme.
“We must promote inclusion. We all know that during disaster, women, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities are often affected. Everyone needs to be included,’’ said.
He said while the elderly with their wisdom and unique perspective need to be involved, the youths with their strength and courage to tackle issues must also be brought on board.
The UNDP country director urged the workshop to come up with concrete plan of action to implement the Sendai framework in Nigeria, and assured that the programme was ready to assist.
In a goodwill message, the ECOWAS Commission said the new framework represented a unique opportunity for regional governments and organisations to design plans on disaster risk reduction.
Malam Mohammed Ibrahim, an official of the commission, who delivered the message, however, acknowledged that many countries in the region had development institutional mechanism to tackle disaster.
“For example many of these countries have made substantial progress in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into national development action plan,’’ he said.
Ibrahim commended Nigeria, saying that it had set example for other countries in the region to emulate through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). (NAN)