UAE's NCEMA Engages In G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Talks In Brazil

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) took part in the second G20 Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Fahad Butti Al Muhairi, Director of the Safety and Prevention Department at NCEMA, led the UAE delegation. The meeting included technical workshops on six main priorities: combating inequality, achieving global early warning system coverage, developing climate-resilient infrastructure, financing disaster risk reduction strategies, recovery and reconstruction from disasters, and providing nature-based solutions.

The meeting featured important sessions such as reviewing the draft ministerial statement of the working group. This statement is expected to be adopted at the ministerial meeting in November 2024 in Belem, Brazil. The Brazilian side introduced an initiative to create a knowledge platform for G20 countries to share experiences related to these six priorities.

On the sidelines of the event, a bilateral meeting was held with Wolnei Wolff, National Secretary for Civil Defense and Protection in Brazil. Discussions included exchanging expertise through technical workshops at the next meeting scheduled for October. An invitation was extended to Brazil to participate in the Crisis and Emergency Management Summit.

The UAE showcased its pioneering model in leading media messaging during wide-scale crises. The Brazilian side showed significant interest in enhancing cooperation with the UAE in emergency, crisis, and disaster management fields. They noted that Brazil's administrative structure and demographic diversity present an opportunity to learn from each other's practices.

Ali Rashid Al Neyadi, Director-General of NCEMA, emphasized the importance of international cooperation for enhancing national capabilities in emergency and crisis management. He highlighted that participating in these international meetings helps benefit from other countries' experiences to achieve higher levels of readiness and response.

Strengthening UAE's Presence

Participants stressed strengthening the UAE’s presence, particularly NCEMA’s role in G20 Working Group activities on Disaster Risk Reduction. Emphasis was placed on participating in the knowledge platform under "climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure" by showcasing UAE’s experience with the Business Continuity Management System and critical infrastructure security framework.

The parties agreed to continue cooperation and exchange expertise in emergency, crisis, and disaster management fields. This is especially relevant given Brazil's experience dealing with severe weather conditions faced by Rio Grande do Sul state.

The UAE is participating as a guest in the G20 Summit 2024 under Brazil's chairmanship for the third consecutive time. Previous invitations came from India in 2023 and Indonesia in 2022. The UAE also participated under Saudi Arabia's presidency in 2020 and France's presidency in 2011.

The participants concluded by emphasizing ongoing collaboration between both nations to enhance their capabilities in managing emergencies effectively.

With inputs from WAM