UNDP support Disaster risk reduction
5-Feb-2010 07:59 AM
Since 1950 disasters have affected more than 3.4 million people and caused 1,747 fatalities (excluding PNG) in the Pacific region.
These are the words of the UNDP Crisis Prevention and Recovery team leader Jean-Luc Stalon at the training on building capacities for early recovery and disaster risk reduction opening speech in Nadi yesterday.
He said, The Pacific is one of the most disaster-affected regions in the world threatened by a variety of natural hazards. These are further compounded by the onset of climate change.
“UNDP, through its regional mandate to coordinate early recovery activities following major disaster events, has provided assistance to Governments of Pacific Island Countries (PICs) in coordinating and implementing early recovery efforts,”
Some examples of this include the Fiji Floods (Jan 2009), an earthquake and tsunami in Solomon Islands (April 2007), an earthquake and tsunami affecting both Samoa and Tonga (Sept 2009).
“The purpose of the training course is to support the strategic objective of the UNDP PC to strengthen the capacity for Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Recovery within UNDP in the Pacific,” he added.
Furthermore, the basis for the training comes from recent lessons learning initiatives (IASC lessons learning and wrap-up meeting relating to the recent Tsunami in Samoa, Nov 2009; Pacific Humanitarian Team workshop, Dec 2009), where the need to enhance UNDP’s own capacity for Early Recovery and Disaster Risk Reduction was clearly identified as a priority for the near future.
The course is bringing together entry level practitioners of disaster risk reduction and early recovery within UNDP and counterpart Government agencies in Pacific Island Countries from Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Samoa, Solomon Islands and PNG.
It is also expected that the training course will provide the basis for the establishment of a community of practice, consisting of a pool of experts conversant with Early Recovery and Disaster Risk Reduction theory and practice in the context of UNDP’s own work in the Pacific region.
It will also provide an insight in to the support that is on offer at the global and regional level for Early Recovery efforts, and will point towards the necessary tools and guidance to successfully carry out ER in post-crisis settings.
The expected result from the training course is to increase knowledge on concepts and processes associated with Early Recovery and Disaster Risk Reduction.
“We also welcome our colleagues from regional partner agencies (such as SOPAC and SPC),” Stalon said.
By ARIETA DAROKO |
