ID :
12034
Thu, 07/10/2008 - 14:14
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/12034
The shortlink copeid
Govt, NGOs discuss on handling with natural disasters
(KPL) Senior government officials from line ministries and provinces met in Vientiane on 8 and 9 July to discuss how the Government of Laos can reduce and manage disaster risks in order to minimize potential losses and negative impacts on families and communities.
The two-day workshop is jointly organised by the government, with the support of the United Nations Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) in Country Team for Natural Disaster Response Preparedness, and in particularof UNDP.
It was attended by representatives of the United Nations agenciesin Laos, of the donors and of non-governmental organisations.
Laos is prone to river floods, droughts, fires, flash floods and storms.
With climate change being a scientifically established fact, absolute levels of disaster risk are increasing and the number of people affected by disasters is most likely to continue growing. Avian and human influenza isalso a major concern.
Should an outbreak occur, concerted efforts and cooperation between healthand non-health sectors will be required for a prompt response.
Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar and the Sichuan earthquake in China, neighbouring countries of Laos, are only the latest, tragic reminders of how badly a major disaster can affect the population and how difficult it is to deal with it. Therefore, it is important to reduce risks and to be prepared to respond to a hazard. We may not be able to prevent a hazard, but we can prevent a hazard from becoming a disaster. As in any other area, preventionis the best strategy to respond to climate change.
Adaptation strategies should be pursued, because even countries would stillbe significantly affected by global warming.
The main output of this high-level dialogue and workshop will be the outlineof a comprehensive national disaster management strategy and plan for Laos.
While there are several good working models of disaster management in the country, a comprehensive strategy and plan are needed to help develop common understanding of the goals of disaster risk reduction and management in the country, as well as to clarify the roles and responsibilities of differentkey stakeholders.
During the two-day dialogue and workshop, participants have reviewed their current capacities, institutional set-up and strategic plan, and were actively exchanging ideas on ways to improve them. Representatives from Thailand Cambodia have also shared their experience and explained how theydeveloped and re implementing their respective disaster management plans.
The High-Level Dialogue and Workshop on National Disaster Management Strategy and Plan was a major milestone to initiate an important process leading to stronger disaster management capacities, thus making Laos more resilient to hazards and disasters and more able to reduce the human andsocio-economic losses associated with these tragic events.
The two-day workshop is jointly organised by the government, with the support of the United Nations Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) in Country Team for Natural Disaster Response Preparedness, and in particularof UNDP.
It was attended by representatives of the United Nations agenciesin Laos, of the donors and of non-governmental organisations.
Laos is prone to river floods, droughts, fires, flash floods and storms.
With climate change being a scientifically established fact, absolute levels of disaster risk are increasing and the number of people affected by disasters is most likely to continue growing. Avian and human influenza isalso a major concern.
Should an outbreak occur, concerted efforts and cooperation between healthand non-health sectors will be required for a prompt response.
Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar and the Sichuan earthquake in China, neighbouring countries of Laos, are only the latest, tragic reminders of how badly a major disaster can affect the population and how difficult it is to deal with it. Therefore, it is important to reduce risks and to be prepared to respond to a hazard. We may not be able to prevent a hazard, but we can prevent a hazard from becoming a disaster. As in any other area, preventionis the best strategy to respond to climate change.
Adaptation strategies should be pursued, because even countries would stillbe significantly affected by global warming.
The main output of this high-level dialogue and workshop will be the outlineof a comprehensive national disaster management strategy and plan for Laos.
While there are several good working models of disaster management in the country, a comprehensive strategy and plan are needed to help develop common understanding of the goals of disaster risk reduction and management in the country, as well as to clarify the roles and responsibilities of differentkey stakeholders.
During the two-day dialogue and workshop, participants have reviewed their current capacities, institutional set-up and strategic plan, and were actively exchanging ideas on ways to improve them. Representatives from Thailand Cambodia have also shared their experience and explained how theydeveloped and re implementing their respective disaster management plans.
The High-Level Dialogue and Workshop on National Disaster Management Strategy and Plan was a major milestone to initiate an important process leading to stronger disaster management capacities, thus making Laos more resilient to hazards and disasters and more able to reduce the human andsocio-economic losses associated with these tragic events.
