Tunis / Information Office / October 12  

HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi affirmed Qatar's keenness to continue efforts exerted by all Arab and African countries by working together in order to effectively address the dangers of disasters facing humanity and to prepare the appropriate preparedness plans to anticipate what would negatively affect our peoples and planet.

In a statement before the Arab-African Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction in Tunis today, HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs expressed Qatar's support for the platform's final declaration, stressing that the State of Qatar will spare no effort to build regional and international partnerships to confront what threatens our peoples, now and in the future. This emanates from the belief that development is a right for all and represents an added value that must be preserved for the prosperity of humankind, Al Muraikhi said.

His Excellency said that the State of Qatar looked forward to seeing constructive coordination and cooperation, working together to reduce the negative effects of natural disasters and emergencies on human life, population, the environment, national economies and social conditions in general, and minimizing disaster losses by promoting the concept of preparedness and response as an integral part of national development plans in countries.

Al Muraikhi emphasized that disaster response required a renewed effort to respond to new and emerging risks, adding: "As everyone knows, we have adopted the Sendai framework, which replaced the 2005-2015 Hyogo Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The new framework for 2015-2030 will continue and requires effective and influential international and regional cooperation."

He noted the organization of major conferences in the Arab region to address disaster risks, pointing in this regard to the conferences held in Jordan in 2013, Egypt in 2014 and Qatar in 2017, during which political declarations focused on issues related to the implementation of the Hyogo framework for action at local level and consultation on the Sendai framework, the Paris Convention on Climate Change and sustainable development goals 2030.

His Excellency pointed out that this high-level platform at the ministerial level which is held in the Arab region followed the Third Arab Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Doha in May 2017, during which the Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2030 and its Plan of Action were approved.

HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs stressed that Qatar attaches great importance to the issues of sustainable human development as it is one of the pillars of its national vision. He pointed out that preparing and addressing the dangers of man-made or natural disasters is one of the most important ways to preserve national achievements and capabilities.

Emanating from this, he said, the State of Qatar supports the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015-2030 and its seven common objectives, pointing out that Qatar has enacted the necessary laws and regulations and established institutional arrangements such as the Permanent Committee for Emergency, which oversees the urban and civil expansion in line with all the standards of security and safety at global levels, in addition to investing in qualified personnel to work in the fields of rescue, development and relief for safety for all who reside on its land.

Al Muraikhi added that the State of Qatar has established the standing committee for rescue and relief operations and humanitarian aids for areas afflicted by catastrophes in brotherly and friendly countries. It has enacted the laws of humanitarian and non-governmental organizations and donor institutions, which direct support and relief to all countries affected by natural disasters or conflict-stricken and civil wars areas.

He pointed out that the State of Qatar had a long history of supporting the efforts of States in cooperation with the UN and international agencies to help overcome these catastrophic effects, including in the Arab region and the African continent.

HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs highlighted that the State of Qatar provides generous assistance, and is undertaking its role as an active and responsible member of the international community to bridge South-South cooperation and the rest of the world, and it is recognized as a leading donor to development financing.

On behalf of the State of Qatar and the participating delegation, His Excellency welcomed the adoption of the Arab coordinating mechanism for disaster risk reduction and the establishment of the special fund for disaster risk reduction by the Arab platform for disaster risk reduction.