Essa Khan, the Executive Director of National Disaster Management Agency has revealed that government has developed Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Risk Management Programme, with support from the United Nation International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.

This came as a result of the request made by the Vice-President, Isatou Njie-Saidy, who is also the Chairperson of the Disaster Management Governing Council during the recently concluded Global Platform Meeting held in Geneva June, 2009.

According to him, the biennial meeting was organised by the UN Secretary-General with the aim of reviewing disaster risk reduction activities at international, regional, sub-regional and country levels, in support of the attainment of the MDGs and PRSP.

Mr. Khan further disclosed that the Vice-President took the opportunity to explain the achievements and outputs of the Disaster Management Programme of The Gambia, which he said, has been strictly implemented in accordance with the international convention and protocol on disaster management.

According to him, the United Nations International Strategy has agreed to use The Gambia as a model of best practices in integrating disaster risk.

He noted that the programme has been finalised and that it is a very comprehensive one that looks at whole disaster management cycle from preparedness, mitigation and response recovery, linking them to development, the PRSP and decentralised programme of the government.

Mr. Khan disclosed that some of the key intervention areas in the programme include the development of an integrated and comprehensive national early warning system, risk vulnerability and hazard-mapping, among others.