Minister of Defence and National Security Adam Shareef Umar has revealed efforts of the government to compile a five year national plan to manage natural disasters effectively.
The Maldivian government has made tremendous efforts to reduce disaster risk, the Defence Minister Adam Shareef stated addressing the nation on the International Day for Disaster Reduction. The Defence Minister affirmed the efforts of the government to include disaster risk reduction clauses in achieving sustainable development goals.
Minister Adam Shareef highlighted the importance of individual, society and policy level efforts to achieve sustainable development goals and to have an aware society. The United Nations General Assembly called for the International Day for Disaster Reduction in 1989 as a way to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction. That includes disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness.
It was originally celebrated on the second Wednesday of October, but after two decades the United Nations General Assembly formally designated October 13 as the annual date. The theme for the International Day for Disaster Reduction 2017 is Home Safe Home: Reducing Exposure, Reducing Displacement.
The 2017 campaign seeks to raise global awareness about effective actions, policies and practices taken to reduce exposure to disaster risk at the community level, thereby contributing to saving homes and livelihoods. This is a considerable challenge which can be accomplished only through coordination, cooperation and collaboration among many stakeholders.