Rajnath Pushes for International Cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, who is currently on a tour to Japan to attend the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction being held in Sendai, on Monday pushed for greater international cooperation for both better anticipation of calamities and effective response to disasters. The minister called for sharing of best practices, use of space technology and other technical knowhow to mitigate disasters.
“We are keen to share our expertise and help other countries in disaster response and capacity building. We envisage a bigger role in capacity building in the Asia Pacific region and look forward to build sustained regional and international partnerships under the post-2015 Framework. We commit ourselves to work with countries in the region and beyond in building resilient nations and communities, against disasters,” Singh said.
Presenting the Country Statement on March 14, Singh said, “The Hyogo Framework for Action has provided a blue print for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities including promotion of culture of prevention, mitigation, preparedness and resilience at all levels. Since then, considerable progress has been made by investing resources and enhancing capacities in dealing with the disasters. However, much needs to be done in the future.”
Singh mentioned that the recent events in India such as the landslides and floods of 2013 in the Himalayan State of Uttarakhand, cyclone ‘Phailin’ in Odisha in 2013, the floods and landslides in Jammu & Kashmir and cyclone ‘Hudhud’ in Andhra Pradesh in 2014 have once again brought into focus the need for multiplying our efforts towards DRR. On March 15, 2015, Shri Rajnath Singh chaired the Ministerial Round Table on 'International Cooperation in support of post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.' The Ministerial Round table was one of the most important round tables focusing on the issue of global cooperation for DRR in post-2015 framework. There was participation from over 35 countries from Asia-Pacific, Africa, America, Europe, etc as well as 8 international organisations.
The objective of the deliberations was on generating ideas to bring about better international cooperation in support of post-2015 Framework for DRR. The issues of strengthening of existing mechanisms, targets as specified in the framework, international cooperation and partnerships, for Least Developed and Developing Countries to build and strengthen their capacities were deliberated upon. The Union Home Minister urged all countries to reaffirm their commitment to pursue effective DRR through international cooperation and global partnership to build communities self-reliant in mitigating the impacts of disasters.
On the sidelines of the Conference, Singh held bilateral meetings with Ministers of Japan and Russia on the same day. He congratulated the Japanese Minister for Disaster Management Eriko Yamatani for assumption of the Presidency for this Conference, and assured her of India’s support in achieving a forward looking substantive outcomes from the Conference. The Japanese Minister Yamatani acknowledged contribution of the 46-member Indian National Disaster Response Force, which was one of the foreign teams to arrive in Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. The Union Home Minister also visited the town of Onagawa, where India’s NDRF team assisted the Japanese authorities in their search and rescue mission from 26th March to 7th April, 2011.
Singh also met the Russian Minister for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, Puchkov Vladimir Andreyevich. The two ministers exchanged views on enhancing the ongoing cooperation in dealing with emergency situations, natural disasters as well as encouraging greater institutional linkages between research and training institutes in the area of disaster management. The two ministers also discussed possible use for space-based technologies for averting natural disasters and their management.
On Monday Singh opened the Exhibition of Indian Museum Kolkata on Indian Buddhist Art at the prestigious National Museum of Tokyo. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Singh said that this exhibition is one of the most important events of the yearlong Festival of India in Japan 2014-15 organised by Government of India, as a means to foster closer people to people relations between India and Japan.
Speaking on the occasion, Singh said that the friendship between India and Japan has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and religious ties. Singh said that he was certain that this exhibition would help in reaffirming the civilizational ties between our two friendly countries which have endured into modern times with a legacy free of dispute, bound by converging values and interests. During the visit Singh also met Indian students and members of the Indian community in Japan. The Home Minister is returning tomorrow after visiting Sendai and Tokyo.