CONFERENCE ON REPORT ON "DECREASE OF DISASTER RISKS AND MANAGEMENT OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS IN ARMENIA" CONDUCTED IN YEREVAN
ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 14, 2009
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS: A conference took place today in
Yerevan on report on "Decrease of Disaster Risks and Management of
Emergency Situations in Armenia" prepared by the World Bank. The
conference was held by the Global Fund of Decrease of Disasters
and Restoration.
The WB report presents suggestions on decrease of disaster risks
in Armenia and preparedness for the development of comprehensive
national program which will be based on the analysis of the systems,
mechanisms, and institutional structures for confronting effectively
the disaster risks.
According to the report, the abilities of the institutional structures,
response mechanisms, programs on decreasing the risk and getting
prepared and confronting the disasters are not enough for overcoming
a wide-scale disaster.
The report calls on creating a comprehensive strategy with which the
cases of coinciding responsibility of different ministries toward
the same issue will be eliminated and the efficiency of the limited
financing will be improved. The latter demands in-depth analysis of
legislation, policy and procedures as well as creation of system of
events based on priorities and financing.
Armenian Emergency Situation Minister Mher Shahgeldyan said since 1988
Spitak earthquake Armenia without diverting moved in right direction,
but institutional and budget challenges still remain, giving an
opportunity to undertake agreed inter-branch and multi-branch events
on all the levels of the government.
The director of the Armenian office of the World Bank Aristomene
Varudakis said that the 80% of the Armenian population is subjected
to disaster risks.
"Armenia is threatened by many natural disasters which during the
recent tens of years caused notable social-economic damages to the
country. And until the government has not undertaken confronting
activities on decrease of disaster risks they will continue taking
the limited means of the country," Varudakis concluded.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
