United Nations Development Programme
Disaster Risk Reduction
Cambodia
Nathan Jaymes Weller
Forest Hills Eastern
Every year, countless natural disasters strike numerous parts of the globe, killing around 90,000 and affecting nearly 160 million people on average, according to the World Health Organization. Such disasters can be and almost always are completely devastating, not only for the regions which they hit, but for the global community as a whole. Without proper prevention and recovery, it can be almost impossible for certain countries, especially third world countries like Cambodia, to rebound from a disaster’s effects. The United Nations has dealt with this issue in the past, including Sendai Framework. The occurrence of natural disasters is inevitable, but the afterlash can be made less severe with sufficient help and resources. In order to reduce the negative impact that natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes have on certain countries and regions of the world, it is important that proper and sufficient aid is given to the countries who need it most.
Cambodia is one of the most disaster-prone countries in all of Asia, with floods and droughts being its main concerns. The National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) is Cambodia’s lead authority in disaster management and response. Its primary responsibility is emergency preparedness and relief. The NCDM works both internally and on the international level. In addition, support is given from the Cambodian Red Cross and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. In the past, Cambodia implemented the Hyogo Framework for Action to help emergency preparedness. In 2015, it passed legislation to better prepare the country for the events of natural disasters. To date, Cambodia has over 50,000 users registered to receive alerts about floods, droughts, and other disasters through the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology according to the Disaster Management Reference Book. To deal with the issues of natural disasters, Cambodia has enacted and passed many laws and regulations to better prepare its people for the aftermath and occurrence of numerous natural disasters it faces on a yearly basis, including improved health care and an Early Warning System.
Cambodia recommends an expansion of Early Warning Systems, much like the system which they have, to better make people aware of oncoming disasters. Cambodia also recommends that groups from countries around the world, such as Cambodia’s NCDM, work together to better formulate plans for dealing with the effects of natural disasters. Also, it suggests that the UNDP, with the help of funds from those countries willing to help and world banks and funds (such as the Asian Development Bank and International Monetary Fund), supply monetary aid to the poorer countries who are repeatedly faced with numerous natural disasters in order to improve infrastructure to blunt the impacts of these disasters.
- Nathan J Weller
