Non-Aligned Movement has emphasized the responsibility of all States to undertake disaster risk reduction, including through preparedness, as well as response and early recovery efforts, in order to minimize the impact of natural disasters and build resilience towards natural disasters. NAM has called for disaster risk reduction and the building of resilience to disasters to be addressed with a renewed sense of urgency in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and poverty eradication and to be integrated into policies, plans, programmes and budgets at all levels and considered within relevant future frameworks, while recognizing that the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions. NAM has emphasised the need for a resilient disaster reduction strategy for the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

NAM has stressed the significance of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 adopted at the Third UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan, on March 18, 2015. The Sendai Framework stresses the need for improved understanding of disaster risk in all its dimensions of exposure, vulnerability and hazard characteristics; the strengthening of disaster risk governance, including national platforms; accountability for disaster risk management; preparedness to “Build Back Better”; recognition of stakeholders and their roles; mobilization of risk-sensitive investment to avoid the creation of new risk; resilience of health infrastructure, cultural heritage and work-places; strengthening of international cooperation and global partnership, and risk-informed donor policies and programs, including financial support and loans from international financial institutions.

Haiti, one of the SIDS, is vulnerable to disasters on account of its geographical features. In accord with the call of NAM for SIDS to formulate a disaster risk reduction strategy, the Government of Haiti has approved the National Risk and Disaster Management Plan 2019-2030. The Plan has been formulated as a result of an inclusive, multi-sectoral and participative process. Through the implementation of the Plan, Haiti joins a set of SIDS to develop and approve a national disaster risk reduction strategy. This represents an important step for Haiti, one of the countries in the world most affected in terms of economic losses (17.5% of GDP) by disasters over the past 20 years.

As per the vision of the Plan, “Haitians, public institutions and private individuals, as well as communities, are able to ensure protection of lives and property in the face of multiple risks to which they are exposed, while strengthening collective and territorial resilience, while respecting the principles of equity gender, inclusion, human security and good governance with a view to sustainable development”.

In line with the vision, the Plan focuses on the following aspects: 1) Climate variability and change; 2) Gender and social inclusion; 3)Human security; 4) Taking disaster risk into account in urban planning; 5) Protection of public and private investments; 6) Ensuring Accountability; and 7) Strategic framework of volunteering.

The Plan aims to improve knowledge of disaster risks in all their dimensions at the central level, as well departmental, municipal and local levels, improving governance to mitigate the effects of disasters, develop and use sustainable financial mechanisms and innovative to increase resilience communities and institutions and reduce the factors of disaster risk and effectively ensure the preparation, response and rapid post-disaster recovery.

The approved plan calls for a resilient perspective in Haiti while promoting sustainable and inclusive development. It is also an important contribution in the achievement of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030’s target which aims to significantly increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020.
Haiti has renewed its commitment to build its resilience in economic, social, health, cultural and environmental terms and, in particular to accelerate efforts to reduce vulnerabilities including the economic and social vulnerabilities of communities, households and individual in the face of natural hazards and those linked to human activity.

Photo Credit : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Haiti_earthquake_damage.jpg/640px-Haiti_earthquake_damage.jpg