The Gambia’s quest to embrace all elements of the disaster management cycle have come yet another step closer following a review and validation of the report and recommendations of an independent evaluation of the UNDP-supported Disaster Management Project in the country.

Stakeholders from various institutions recently converged at the Baobab Holidays Resort in Bijilo to, among many others, dissect the evaluation report which was conducted from 14 January to 8 February.

In her remarks at the opening ceremony of the validation meeting, the Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Vice President, Fatou Jasseh-Kuyateh, highlighted that the Gambia Government, in furtherance of her development aspirations, launched the strategic Vision 2020 National Document for the period 1996-2020.

“In the document, the government declared its political will and commitment to initiate disaster prevention, mitigation and relief strategies and programmes to combat and alleviate the cost of disaster when they occur,” she added.

According to Madam Jasseh-Kuyateh, the Gambia Government has since acknowledged the complex nature of disaster issues and that the ad-hoc approach is not sustainable in the long run. “ There is, therefore, an urgent need for a paradigmatic shift from this approach to a more holistic one, embracing all elements of the disaster management cycle from preparedness, mitigation ,response recovery to development,” she posited.

Meanwhile the evaluation team, which, inter  alia, employed both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and a comprehensive review of literature,  found out that from January 2006 to December 2007, the outputs/activities accomplished by the National Disaster Management Project were the establishment of the National Disaster Management Secretariat, development of National Hazard Profile, restructuring and training of disaster management committees, establishment of Disaster Management Funds and Volunteer Clubs in schools, formulation of the draft National Disaster Policy and Legal Framework and an Avian and Human Influenza Preparedness Plan.

Based on their findings, the evaluation team proffered recommendations such as the restructuring and training of disaster management committee for Banjul City Council, training of disaster management committee for KMC, establishment of National Disaster Management Office subsequent to finalization and enactment of National Disaster Management Legislation.