National Disaster Risk Management Policy 2024-2033.

This National Disaster Risk Management Policy represents a comprehensive and forward-looking strategic response to the increasing challenges posed by natural disasters and climate-related events, in order to cover the entire disaster risk management cycle, from prevention and preparedness to response, recovery, and mitigation. The vision of the Policy is that the Gambia becomes resilient to shocks resulting from disasters. The Mission of the Policy is to have in place systems and structures that ensure the nation’s resilience to disasters. The Policy specifies the following objectives: establishing an adequate, efficient and effective mechanisms to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risks, prevent and reduce hazard exposure and vulnerability to disaster; strengthening integrated and socially inclusive mitigation measures that reduce the negative impact of disasters on lives and livelihoods, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the disabled. Inspired by the principles of social protection, adaptability and inclusivity, and innovation, the Policy describes four main components or priority areas, subdivided into eight policy areas with detailed policy measures: 1) preventing and reducing risk exposure and vulnerability to disaster; 2) strengthening disaster preparedness capacity including contingency planning; 3) strengthening disaster mitigation; 4) responding and recovering from disasters.
The related Policy actions concern the following measures: knowledge of potential disaster risk; community sensitisation and awareness creation; monitoring and warning services with modern equipment; information on pending and or potential risks; response capability and capacity development; provision of funds at the regional level and establishment of permanent regional evacuation centres and temporary shelters based on need; revision and updating of the existing multi-hazard contingency plan, including the following targeted areas: human and animal diseases outbreak, domestic and bush fires, migration, oil spills, drought, pest infestation, road traffic accidents, contamination of water supplies; community mobilisation on disaster prevention; chlorination of water sources to reduce risks of diseases; vaccination of livestock, spraying of pest-affected areas and quarantine services for disaster affecting agriculture and livestock; mobilisation of financial resources for disaster response; undertaking post-disaster needs assessment.