A two day Consultation on Parliamentarians and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) ended in Geneva, Switzerland yesterday. The Consultation concluded with a clarion call by the legislators to re-double their efforts in building global resilience of nations and communities to disasters.
The Parliamentarians called for the enactment of legislation on Disaster Management, increase in resources and scale-up of networking and information to shore up DRR in the local, regional and global communities.
The two day meeting (December 19-20, 2011) organized by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) was attended by Parliamentarians from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Uganda, Senegal and the East African Legislative Assembly. EALA was represented by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Abdirahin Abdi while EALA Senior Public Relations Officer, Bobi Odiko was in attendance. Hon Alex Byarugaba, MP, Isingiro South in Uganda and the Chair of the Parliamentarian Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction and the Foreign Affairs Committee respectively, represented Uganda.
The objective of the meeting was to review progress with regards to UNISDR’s initiative on Parliamentarians in disaster risk reduction, exchange views on challenges that Parliamentarians encountered in promoting DRR and identify priorities for the 2012-2013 Action Plan.
In the opening remarks, Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Reduction reiterated the UN’s support for DRR as key in sustainable and equitable development.
“We are pursuing this important subject on the multilateral agenda of the UN. Business as usual is not an option adding that it was time for re-definition of development to be sensitive to disasters and climate risks” she said.
The UN Representative further informed the Parliamentarians of major forthcoming events including the next World Conference on Disaster Reduction in 2015 and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development where disaster risk was set to take centre stage in the discussions in line with the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). The Hyogo Framework is a blueprint adopted by Member States of the UN in 2005 at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction and it aims at building resilience of nations to disasters.
EALA Speaker, Rt. Hon Abdirahin Abdi called for building of new bridges between scientists, technocrats and Parliamentarians if meaningful advances in DRR and disaster management were to be realized.
“It is unfortunate that the drought we are experiencing in the Great Horn of Africa, which is the worst in over six decades for example, had long been predicted before it occurred - but nothing was done. This is a sign of clear disparity between the scientists and legislators and we urgently need to close ranks and begin working together for the betterment of the communities”, the Speaker noted.
Hon Abdi said EALA would in the not too distant future call for a continental conference on DRR to share information and map out new strategies.
“It is time EALA called together regional parliaments to discuss this critical issues, share experiences and put DRR on the radar”, the Speaker remarked, adding that disasters were hindering development and it was time for action. Parliaments, Hon Abdi noted must carry out their functions of legislation, oversight, budgetary and representation with more diligence and in the same vein, legislators must be true Ambassadors who are accountable on matters of DRR, he remarked.
Hon Abdi revealed that the EAC Transboundary Ecosystems Bill, 2010 was likely to be brought before the House for its 2nd reading when the Assembly convenes in Kampala, Uganda for the 2nd meeting of the 5th Session in January 2012. The Bill inter alia aims at providing a legal framework to streamline management of trans-boundary ecosystems with a view to enhancing quality of environment and ensuring sustainable utilization of shared natural resources.
At the same time, EALA shall look into the possibility and way forward towards finalization of the model legislation on DRR for the EAC region.
Participants at the meeting hailed the Parliaments of Senegal and Uganda for the positive progress on DRR realized. Both nations have a Parliamentary Fora on DRR, a move termed as positive in efforts to address disaster risks at the high level. According to Hon Alex Byarugaba, Uganda had developed and refined its policy on DRR and was headed towards instituting an Act of Parliament - a first in the EAC region in its quest to meet the Millinieum Development Goals.
Hon Abdou Sane of the Parliament of Senegal said it was time legislators formed networks consisting of Parliamentarians, media, NGOs, citizens and other stakeholders to champion DRR. “We in the ECOWAS region are contemplating forming networks in each of the 16 Member States of the bloc (ECOWAS)”, Hon Sane stated.
Hon Saber Chowdhury of the Parliament of Bangladesh termed mapping of disaster prone areas as essential in the universal bid to contain disasters. He called for a change of mindset by identifying modalities that build resilience and capacities to handle disasters as opposed to relief and reconstruction, which he said, were reactionary and defeatist.
The legislators offered to be the ‘hub and spokes’ on DRR issues and to involve all stakeholders.
In addition, the Consultation discussed the objectives and terms of references for a UNISDR Parliamentary Global Advisory Group in order to further extend UNISDR engagement with Parliamentarians for disaster risk reduction.
In May this year, EALA and the UNISDR organized a meeting in Arusha. The meeting sought to enhance better understanding of the progress and challenges in disaster risk reduction in East Africa and its links with socio-economic development, especially with the MDG initiative.
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NOTE TO EDITORS ABOUT UNISDR
The East African Legislative Assembly is the legislative organ of the East African Community. Its Membership consists of a total of 52, of whom 45 are elected Members (9 from each Partner State) and seven ex-officio members (the Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs from the Partner States, the Secretary General of the Community and the Counsel to the Community).
The East African Legislative Assembly has legislative functions as well as oversight of all East African Community matters. The enactment of legislation of the Community is effected by means of Bills passed by the Assembly and assented to by the Heads of State, and every Bill that has been duly passed and assented to become an Act of the Community and takes precedent over similar legislations in the Partner States.
For more information, contact
Bobi Odiko, Senior Public Relations Officer
East African Legislative Assembly, AICC Building, Ngorongoro Wing, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 1096 Arusha, Tanzania, Tel: +255-27-2508240 Fax: +255-27-2503103
Cell: +255-787-870945 +254-733-718036
Email: BOdiko@eachq.org Web: https://www.eala.org
