National Disaster Risk Management Policy 2008.

The main objectives of Disaster Risk Management are implemented by the National Disaster Management Directorate (NDMD) to guarantee this right in circumstances of disasters. NDMD aims to reduce the risk of disasters through the following actions: Disaster Preparedness for Emergencies; Disaster Response and Recovery/Reconstruction Post-Disaster/Development. In this context, the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) will concentrate on the following main objectives during the period 2008-2012: Acting as a centre for disaster risk reduction activities and knowledge, collecting information, monitoring overseas developments and proposing developments for incorporation into the national disaster risk reduction system; Promoting permanent protection against natural and or human-induced disasters; Preventing and minimizing the impact of disasters, assisting affected populations, rehabilitating areas affected by disasters; Developing strategies in disaster risk reduction including preparedness activities; Creating human resource capacities and physical infrastructures to use meteorological and seismic analysis, monitoring, early warning tools and systems;
Promoting scientific experts at national - international levels for meteorology and seismology; Providing support to the Inter-Ministerial Commission for Prevention of Natural Disasters (CIGD); Establishing links to hazard, vulnerability, risk assessment and monitoring in the region, providing early warning and strategic intervention planning; Coordinating disaster risk management; Leading multi-sector damage and needs assessment teams during response operations; Developing public awareness programs in cooperation with other relevant agencies; Developing disaster risk reduction and emergency response training programs; Developing communications technology on disaster and crisis management systems across all sectors; Developing the former National Disaster Risk Management Plan (NDRMP) as a disaster and crisis risk management operational plan including ministerial and non-government sector operational plans and hazard, vulnerability, risk standard operational procedures; and Administering a regional strategic stockpile of disaster response resources.
The following principles will guide the formulation and implementation of the Policy, plans, activities and programs for disaster risk management: Partnership with communities to protect the life of all citizens who have the right to international standards of human security balanced with sustainable economic, social and environment recovery and development; The government will develop all hazards, vulnerability and risk action to analyse systems to manage the risk of disasters, climate change and conflict crisis; Focus on vulnerable populations, with emphasis on prevention, early recovery and integration into the development processes; Maximise the benefit of the available resources; Participation and engagement, especially with national, regional and international partners, civil society and the population in the remote areas and vulnerable groups; Transparency and responsibility, especially in relation to the distribution and use of resources, as well as the implementation of authority, power and decision making; Sustainability, considering the limitation of resources in the country and the high dependency on partners and external donors; and Partner with communities to build resilience to emergencies, disasters, conflict, climate change and dependencies on state and partner assistance for human and national security.