Deputy Interior Minister participates in First Arab Regional Forum on Early Warning and Disaster Preparedness

Cairo, Dec. 17 (BNA): Lieutenant General Adel bin Khalifa Al Fadhel, Deputy Minister of Interior, participated in the First Arab Regional Forum on Early Warning and Disaster Preparedness, hosted by the Arab League, and attended by ministers, senior officials, representatives of Arab countries, and representatives of relevant regional and international organisations.

Al Fadhel said that the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and with the support and follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, places the highest priority on enhancing the civil protection system and reducing disaster risks, both at the national level and within the framework of joint Arab action. He noted that Bahrain is honoured to chair the Arab Coordination Mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction, building on the institutional progress it has achieved, as well as on qualitative programmes and effective regional and international partnerships in this field.

The Deputy Interior Minister highlighted that, in implementation of the instructions of General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Civil Defence Council, the Interior Ministry is working to establish a national approach based on proactive risk management.

He noted that this is being achieved by enhancing the readiness of national institutions, protecting vital infrastructure, updating legislation, and developing effective early warning systems.

Al Fadhel said that among the most prominent of these initiatives is activating the Wireless Emergency Alerts system, which ensures the delivery of immediate warnings to citizens and residents via smartphones, in addition to launching the National Civil Protection Platform as a unified awareness reference for public safety.

The Deputy Interior Minister explained that the convening of this forum represents an important Arab milestone in advancing joint cooperation in emergency management and disaster risk reduction. He underlined that early warning systems and proactive preparedness now constitute the first line of defence for protecting lives and property, in light of the complex and accelerating risks facing the world, where climate change intersects with environmental, economic and social challenges.

He concluded by underscoring the importance of digital transformation and artificial intelligence in developing accurate, multi-channel early warning systems. He also emphasised the importance of building an integrated Arab strategy that incorporates the objectives of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction into development plans.