PPRD South contribution to reduce risk of disasters in the Mediterranean

Directors General from Civil Protection Authorities of Albania, Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Egypt, France, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Turkey will meet in Rome on 8 March 2011, together with the European Commission and the United Nations, to assess at what stage is the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action in the Mediterranean and to review the contribution provided by the PPRD South Programme.

The Forum on the PPRD South Contribution to the Hyogo Framework for Action implementation is taking place within the framework of the two-day launch of the report of the Mid-Term Review of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015, organized by the Italian Civil Protection and the United Nations and scheduled to take place on 8-9 March in Rome. The PPRD South Forum will be opened by Franco Gabrielli, Head of the Italian Civil Protection Department together with Margareta Wahlström, UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Ian Clark, Head of the Disaster Risk Reduction Unit at the European Commission's DG ECHO.

The aim of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), adopted by the United Nations in 2005, is to implement disaster risk reduction policies in order to increase the capacity of nations and peoples to face disasters and reduce lives and economic losses.

Disaster loss is increasing globally and has serious consequences for the lives of peoples. In the past two decades, every year more than 200 million people have been affected by disasters. Greater disaster vulnerability is due to changing demographic and socio-economic conditions, unplanned urbanization, development within high-risk zones, environmental degradation and climate change. Expected future scenarios point out that disasters are threatening ever more the world’s economy and its population.

The HFA indicates five priorities for action to reduce impacts of disasters:

1. disaster risk reduction at the top of the political agenda;
2. disaster risks should be properly identified and assessed,
3. risk awareness should be increased through exchange of information and education;
4. proper measures should be adopted to reduce vulnerability - such as the application of relevant building standards in schools, hospitals, homes -
5. strengthened disaster preparedness at all levels.

Where are the Mediterranean countries in the adoption of these priorities? And what support does the EU's PPRD South Programme provide? During the event, participants will review the Regional Risk Atlas and the Civil Protection Operational Manual produced by the Programme to help increase the knowledge of the exposure to disasters in the Mediterranean and inform about the existing national and international prevention, preparedness and response capacities. PPRD South awareness raising projects implemented in Lebanon, West Bank and Montenegro will also be illustrated. Finally, the Forum will explore the existing national coordination mechanisms for disaster risk reduction in the Mediterranean countries focusing on the challenges faced in setting up and running these mechanisms.

Contact: Alessandro Candeloro, +39 349 0850931, info@euromedcp.eu.