SAARC to push agenda of disaster risk reduction

KATHMANDU, April 17: Alarmed by the devastations caused by various natural disasters, including earthquake and Tsunami in different parts of the world, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member states have agreed to push the agenda of strengthening SAARC Disaster Management Center and disaster risk reduction measures in the upcoming SAARC Summit to be held in Maldives between November 10 and 11.[break]



Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley, who concluded a three-day official visit to Nepal on Saturday in his capacity as the current chair of SAARC, held detailed discussions with his Nepali counterpart Jhalanath Khanal on disaster management.



Thinley had sought Nepal´s opinion on the agenda of strengthening SAARC Disaster Management Center that is currently based in New Delhi and promoting cooperation and sharing experiences with regards to disaster response among member states.



Prime Minister Khanal´s Foreign Relations Advisor Milan Raj Tuladhar said Nepal has agreed to jointly push the agenda of disaster management center along with SAARC member states. “The issues of disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness has received due priority especially after the devastation caused by Tsunami. The two prime ministers have agreed to push the agenda in the upcoming SAARC Summit,” he said.



Addressing the press conference before wrapping up his three-day visit to Nepal on Saturday, Thinley said he had already talked about it with other SAARC member states in his capacity as current chair of the regional body. “I have asked that we should be able to agree on center for disaster management at the next SAARC summit which is scheduled to be held in Maldives between November 10 and 11 of this year,” he said.



Thinley said the Disaster Management Center should be strengthened and equipped in such a way that it would be able to address the effects of climate change and natural disasters. “SAARC countries are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change; to the high cost of adaptation and mitigation to the climate change,” he said. “In the event such things were to happen it is important that we have a center through which the SAARC countries will be able to address problems in the areas where such disaster situation may arise.”



Tuladhar said Nepal has given due priority for the cause of disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness. He mentioned the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari to Washington DC, where he attended a donors´ meeting on Probable Risk Minimization of various natural disasters on Saturday. The donors have assured Nepal all assistance that it sought for minimizing the risks of such disasters.

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