The significant progress that Nigeria has recorded in the area of disaster management and disaster risk reduction, has gained global attention as the two global recognised United Nations disaster managers are scheduled to visit the country next week.
The visits is to commend the Federal Government for its efforts and advocate for more support.
Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General,SRSG, for International Strategy for Disaster Reduction,UNISDR, Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom, and the UN Under Secretary–General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator,UNOCHA, Baroness Valerie Amos, will both be hosted by the National Emergency Management Agency,NEMA, Nigeria’s focal agency for disaster risk reduction,DRR.
Ms. Wahlstrom, who is expected in the country between Monday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 12, is leading a strong advocacy for disaster risk reduction strategy aimed at reducing the risk of natural, human induced and technological hazards in the country while advocating for political support and institutional recognition of disaster risk reduction as vital component of the development agenda, and also to build an effective and formidable structure for the operationalisation of strategies for disaster risk management in the country.
The SRSG will hold series of meetings with senior government officials, including Vice President Muhammad Namadi Sambo, members of the academia, civil society groups, non-governmental organisations and the media, with a special focus on land use planning and development control as well as the need to make cities resilient.
Ms. Margareta Wahlstrom was appointed the first Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for International Strategy for Disaster Reduction,ISDR, in November 2008 by the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.
For Valerie Amos, her visit is more on the humanitarian issues resulting from the recent occurrences of naturally induced disasters and conflicts experienced in certain parts of the country.
The UNOCHA was formed in December 1991 by the General Assembly Resolution 46/182.[1]. It was designed to strengthen the UN’s response to complex emergencies and natural disasters by creating the Department of Humanitarian Affairs,DHA, and replacing the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator, which was formed in 1972.