UCLG-MEWA organized a webinar on “Local Governments in Disasters: Precautions, Emergency Action, and Recovery” on April 5, 2023. The Webinar aimed to discuss the response of local governments towards natural disasters and preparations to reduce risks.
The Webinar started with the opening addresses. Dr. Mehmet Duman, UCLG-MEWA Secretary General, deliberated upon the need for meticulous planning and improved strategies for unpredictable calamities like the recent Kahramanmaraş earthquake that caused widescale human and economic loss. In her video message, Emilia Saiz, UCLG Secretary General, highlighted the need to define a new roadmap to change our relationship with nature for our ecosystem to survive.
UN Türkiye’s Bülent Açıkgöz delivered the message on behalf of Alvaro Rodriguez, UN Resident/ Humanitarian Coordinator in Türkiye for his absence where he said, “We should adopt a holistic approach in disaster risk management on the way of building risk-informed and disaster resilient societies.”
The keynote speeches were delivered by Mirna Abu Ata, Program Management Officer, UNDRR-ROAS, and Elaf Raslan, Associate Program Officer UNDRR ROAS shed light on the Sendai Framework and Making Cities Resilient (MCR2030) initiative.
The panel discussion by the panelists Prof. Dr. Sinan Mert Şener from Istanbul Technical University, Jiri Nemcik, Fire Rescue Service of Czech Republic Head, and Cemal Baş, Head of Project and Financing Department UMT, provided insights on the various good practices for risk reduction and disaster management in case of calamities and catastrophes.
The Webinar concluded with the closing remarks by Dr. Sujit Mohanty, UNDRR Chief, and Ramazan Özcan Yıldırım, UMT Deputy Secretary General, where they emphasized the role of local governments and the importance of preventive measures in times of disasters.