DISASTER-PREVENTION STRATEGIES, SUSTAINABLE-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE INTEGRATED, COMMITTEE TOLD
Press Release
GA/EF/2890
DISASTER-PREVENTION STRATEGIES, SUSTAINABLE-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE INTEGRATED, COMMITTEE TOLD
19991108Indonesia Says Implementation of Existing Measures Would Have Minimized Loss of Life, Property Destruction
Much of the loss of life and destruction of property could have been avoided, or at least lessened, if the existing strategies to counter various natural disasters had been implemented, the representative of Indonesia told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this afternoon as it concluded its consideration of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR).
The international community should strive to intensify its efforts to deal with natural disasters within the framework of humanitarian assistance, he said. At present, the emphasis within the field of humanitarian assistance was on post-conflict support. A greater balance should be struck by increasing the focus on the prevention of natural disasters and assistance for their victims.
El Salvadors representative said that it was essential for the United Nations and other international organizations to integrate natural disaster reduction into sustainable development strategies. It was also important to create a global culture of prevention, and strengthen and broaden existing prevention programmes. Fully incorporating natural disaster reduction into sustainable-development strategies was fundamental for the development of early warning systems on both regional and subregional levels. He appealed to all members of the international community to consider the possibility of ensuring, for the year 2005, that at least 10 per cent of natural disaster management funds be earmarked for prevention programmes.
The representative of Iran said that natural disasters had seriously affected national endeavours for economic growth in developing countries. In 1998 alone, they had claimed the lives of 50,000 people, and had caused economic losses exceeding $90 billion. While disaster reduction was basically a medium and long-term activity, putting in place short-term policies for mitigating the immediate negative impact of natural disasters should also be an integral part of any strategy for reducing, containing and mitigating the consequences of those disasters.
Statements were also made by the representatives of Nigeria and Japan.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow to consider training and research, as well as the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the
Second Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/EF/2890 34th Meeting (PM) 8 November 1999
occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources.
Committee Work Programme
The Second Committee (Economical and Financial) met this afternoon to continue its consideration of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). For background, see Press Release GA/EF/2889, issued this morning.
Statements
OSITADINMA ANAEDU (Nigeria) said that the number of natural disasters were increasing and their impacts were more devastating. The magnitude of vulnerability to natural disasters was widespread. That was due to interrelated factors, including large populations living in high-risk areas laden with poverty and exposure of infrastructure and crucial lifeline systems to the effects of natural hazards and environmental degradation. The situation was often aggravated by shortsighted international trade and financial practices, unsustainable external debt burden and uncontrolled economic growth, especially in urban areas.
The African continent had suffered from natural and other disasters with devastating impact on their economies and material and human resources, he said. They included tropical storms, land erosion, wildfire, windstorms, floods, drought, desertification and landslides. Implementation of national programmes to mitigate the effects of natural disasters had been seriously hampered by a lack of adequate resources, technical know-how and capacity to mobilize even the little that was available. He urged the international community to come up with result-oriented and concrete intervention to strengthen the capacities of developing countries for disaster planning and management, and for promotion and facilitation of transfer of early warning technologies to disaster-prone developing countries.
CARLOS ENRIQUE GARCIA GONZALEZ (El Salvador) said that the main objective of the Decade had been focused on reducing loss of life, material damage and the social and economic disturbances brought about by natural disasters. Among the achievements of the Decade was the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction held in Yokohama in 1994, in which national achievements were reviewed with regard to reduction targets. In addition, it resulted in the drafting of action programmes and awareness raising. The incorporation of new strategies had been announced for the second half of the Decade, following the mid-term review. They were characterized by an increased emphasis on social science, the importance of regional and subregional approaches, and the reduction of vulnerability and risk. Another event of importance was the International Conference on Early Warning Systems held in Germany in September, 1998, which resulted in the drafting of specific guidelines to establish a cross-sectoral process for the implementation of early warning systems, in which various components were integrated.
While the effects of Hurricane Mitch were devastating, its destructive impact was further aggravated by, among other things, demographic factors, which Second Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/EF/2890 34th Meeting (PM) 8 November 1999
increased the vulnerability of the affected communities. El Salvador agreed that it was essential to create a global culture of prevention. It was vital to strengthen and broaden existing prevention programmes. The importance of fully incorporating natural reduction into sustainable development strategies was fundamental for the development of early warning systems on both regional and subregional levels, as stated in the final declaration adopted at the Summit of Latin American and European Union leaders in Rio de Janeiro in June. For the process to be fully successful, adequate resources were needed to ensure the implementation of programmes in all countries. He appealed to all members of the international community to consider the possibility of ensuring for 2005 that at least 10 per cent of natural disaster funds be earmarked for natural disaster prevention.
KOUICHIRO SEKI (Japan) said that Japan had made active and positive efforts to promote the Decade by providing financial and human resources to its secretariat. Japan had been actively involved in international efforts in reducing damage caused by natural disasters. International efforts would have to continue even after the conclusion of the Decade. The international community should continue to share its experience in mitigating the damage caused by natural disasters.
MOHAMMED ALI ZARIE ZARE (Iran) said that the frequency and severity of natural disasters throughout the world had increased sharply during recent decades. That had seriously effected national endeavours for economic growth in developing countries. In 1998 alone, natural disasters had claimed the lives of 50,000 people and had caused economic losses exceeding $90 billion. Disaster reduction was mainly focused on devising and implementing preventive measures, using the best scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge, to ensure capacity-building at the community, national, regional and international levels in addressing the devastating impact of national disasters.
While disaster reduction was basically a medium and long-term activity, putting in place short-term policies for mitigating the immediate negative impact of natural disasters should also be an integral part of any strategy for reducing, containing and mitigating the consequences of those disasters, he said. The two main objectives of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) should be: enabling communities to become more resilient to the effects of natural disasters; and proceeding from protection to the management of compound risk through integration of risk prevention into development activities. The inter-agency Task Force should benefit from the experiences of the last Decade.
Iran was prone to earthquakes, he continued. The Government, in cooperation with civil-society organizations and the private sector, had devised policies for public awareness and promoted measures to mitigate the socio- economic impact of natural disasters. The Government had approved the formation of an IDNDR national committee, in addition to the Iran Institute of Geology and the Red Crescent Society of Iran. The national committees activities would extend beyond the closure of the Decade at the end of 1999.
DJAUHARI ORATMANGUN (Indonesia) said it was disconcerting to note that much of the loss of life and destruction of property could have been avoided, or Second Committee - 4 - Press Release GA/EF/2890 34th Meeting (PM) 8 November 1999
at least lessened, if the existing strategies to counter various natural disasters had been implemented. The international community should strive to intensify its efforts to deal with natural disasters within the framework of humanitarian assistance. At present, the emphasis was on post-conflict support. A greater balance should be struck by increasing the focus on prevention of natural disasters and assistance for their victims.
The loss and destruction resulting from natural disasters were to a large extent due to poverty and underdevelopment, he said. Disaster-reduction strategies should be designed to respond ahead of time to the possible evolution of natural disasters. Short-term preventive strategies could include early warning systems and contingency plans, such as construction codes for buildings. For the longer term, the inclusion of disaster-reduction strategies in overall development programmes would be essential. A key to the success of longer-term prevention strategies was broad-based cross-sectoral cooperation.
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