Topic: Disaster Risk Reduction
Nation: The State of Qatar
Committee: UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)
Throughout the world, disasters have affected 1.5 billion people in the past decade alone. The UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP) recognizes the severity of this issue and has worked with 125 countries to increase resilience against these disasters. UNDP’s goals include strengthening policy, legal and institutional systems both nationally and subnationally, increasing accessibility to risk information and early warning systems, and improving disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation efforts as a whole. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Sendai Framework) was established with the goal of decreasing disaster risk and losses of lives in the economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental assets in countries.
In 1998, The State of Qatar established the Permanent Emergency Committee (PEC), which is responsible for managing crisis and disaster. It is composed of ministries and both public and private organizations. The PEC has established a National Plan for Emergency for disasters and set up a regional observatory in terms of monitoring earthquakes and other disasters. Qatar has also adopted the Sendai Framework in order to increase the recovery capacity and readiness for any disaster. The delegation of Qatar believes in the importance of information on and understanding of disaster risk. This information can be used to effectively increase preparedness and strengthen response to disasters. Investing in early warning systems is essential. The delegation of Qatar also believes in a set of detailed contingency plans put in place for disasters expected to occur in the State. Periodic drills for these plans should be conducted for maximum efficiency and readiness of Qatar. Qatar is implementing a series of plans to be prepared as the host nation for the 2022 Football World Cup.
The delegation of Qatar also believes in education on disasters. If the people of Qatar have a full understanding of how to best protect themselves, property, and livelihoods, then vulnerability to disasters decreases and less damage occurs. Effectiveness of response to disasters should increase as well. Impacts of a disaster can be substantially reduced if authorities are well prepared to respond to these disasters. All authorities, but especially authorities in areas of high disaster risk, should have both the knowledge and resources to respond as effectively as possible. Disaster management should be increased with proper training of authorities. Sufficient resources must be provided to these authorities in order to ensure they can respond to disasters with the highest effectiveness possible. In addition, the delegation of Qatar believes in constructing resilient infrastructure that can withstand disasters. Qatar proposes a global baseline for all future, major structures built. These baselines would ensure maximum resilience to disasters and reduce the impact of these disasters. Qatar also proposes an insurance system for disasters. Carribbean governments currently use the Carribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), which provides Carribean governments with financial coverage in the event of a natural disaster. A system like this is beneficial because it makes countries less dependent on international aid and it helps to maintain stability in disaster stricken countries so that recovery efforts can be put in place as fast as possible
Works Cited
“Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery.” UNDP, https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/2030-agenda-for-sustainable-development/planet/disaster-risk-reduction-and-recovery.html.
“Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.” UNDRR News, https://www.unisdr.org/we/coordinate/sendai-framework.
“Towards Developing a National Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery Plan – Qatar.” Towards Developing a National Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery Plan – Qatar | PreventionWeb.net, https://www.preventionweb.net/events/view/48414?id=48414.
“United Nations Plan of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience.” United Nations Plan of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience | PreventionWeb.net, https://www.preventionweb.net/publications/view/49076.
UNUniversity. “Solutions for Those at Risk in Climate Disasters.” Our World, https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/solutions-for-those-at-risk-of-climate-disaster.
- Audrey DeGuia
