The Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, has lamented that recent calamities around the world continue to be reminders of the devastating effects of natural hazards, as well as the potentially harmful effects of a warming planet, adding that the need to engage fully in disaster risk reduction has never been more pressing.

In his statement on the occasion of International Day for Disaster Reduction on Wednesday, Ban Ki Moon said: “ Disaster risk reduction is about stronger building codes, sound land use planning, better early warning systems, environmental management and evacuation plans and, above all, education. It is about making communities and individuals aware of their risk to natural hazards and how they can reduce their vulnerability.”

The UN boss added:“ We have a moral, social and economic obligation to act now in building resilient communities and nations. Last year saw the launch of a global awareness campaign entitled “Disaster risk reduction begins at schools”. It aims to mobilize Governments, communities and individuals in making disaster risk an integral part of school curricular, while ensuring that school buildings are built or retrofitted to withstand natural hazards.”

According to Mr. Moon, disaster reduction is everybody’s business. “All of us can do our part to raise awareness and reduce our vulnerability to future hazards .I urge all concerned –Governments, civil society and the private sector, international financial institutions and other international organizations-to invest in disaster reduction and to step up implementation of the Hyoko Framework, with concrete measures to reduce vulnerability. On this International Day, let us renew our dedication to this mission,” he posited.

Speaking to this paper on the occasion of International Day for Disaster Reduction, the Coordinator of National Disaster Management Project, Mr. Essa Khan, pointed out that International Day for Disaster Reduction is a reminder of our responsibilities and the need for a sober reflection on untold damage and destruction caused by natural and human-instigated disasters.

“For example, over the last decade, disasters triggered by natural hazards have claimed more than 6,000 lives and affected more than 2.4 billion people with the majority of them in developing countries. Years of development gains have been lost, deepening poverty for millions and leaving them even more exposed to future natural hazards,” he stated.

For Mr. Khan, its, therefore, pertinent now than ever before for all to accelerate efforts in reducing vulnerability and to respond to the needs of all vulnerable populations in hazard-prone areas, stressing the importance of disaster prevention.