HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani participated in the resumed part of the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the midterm review of the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) 2015-2030, at the UN headquarters in New York.
Addressing the meeting, she said that the Political Declaration on the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was adopted on May 18, 2023, constitutes a solid basis for renewed commitment to the Sendai Framework, and for intensified action to accelerate its implementation.
She noted that the Doha Work Programme (DPoA) represents an important document to the least developed countries for a risk-awareness and mitigation approach, because the Programme does not neglect the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the Sendai Framework, the comprehensive measures to mitigate multi-hazard crises, and in building the resilience of LDCs.
Consistent with Qatar's commitment and the importance it attaches to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, she emphasised that Qatar has adopted several initiatives to strengthen local and national capacities for disaster risk reduction, including the establishment of the Civil Defence Council of the Ministry of the Interior in 2018 and strengthening its role in disaster risk reduction and response at the national level.
HE Sheikha Alya pointed to promoting inter-ministerial co-operation; the development of disaster risk reduction legislation, policies and plans; the establishment of organisational and co-ordination structures; and increasing investment in resilient infrastructure. She added that Qatar had worked to incorporate disaster risk reduction into sustainable development policies and plans, and it continues efforts through the implementation of economic, structural, social, environmental and other comprehensive measures that contribute to preventing and reducing exposure to hazards, increasing preparedness, and improving understanding and assessment of disaster risk through scientific and technical co-operation.
In this context,she drew attention to Qatar's hosting of numerous conferences, forums and workshops on disaster risk reduction, as well as the Third Arab Preparatory Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, entitled "Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Arab Region", in co-ordination with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the League of Arab States (LAS).
She expressed pleasure that Qatar was one of the leading countries in providing development and relief assistance. Qatar had made generous contributions to many countries and international organisations and had always been committed to the principles of shared responsibility and multilateral action.
Qatar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations emphasised that investing in disaster risk reduction was an investment in resilience, stressing that Qatar would spare no effort to further implement the Sendai Framework.
