BUJUMBURA March 3rd (ABP) – On Wednesday, March 1, 2023, Burundi joined other countries around the world to celebrate World Civil Protection Day, under the theme: role of information technologies in the Risk Assessment ”
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security, Mr. André Ndayambaje, said that the international organization for civil protection, set up in 1958, brings together the States engaged in the exchange of experiences and coordination of efforts in the field of the protection of persons, property and the safeguarding of the environment against the risks of natural and man-made disasters. He indicated that the importance of the celebration of the World Civil Protection Day is therefore to draw public attention to the role of civil protection in disaster risk management and to encourage public and private authorities, communities and civil society to become more involved in disaster preparedness and response.
Mr. Ndayambaje also indicated that information technology plays an important role in risk assessment for the promotion of early warning through data collection, processing and dissemination of information for fast and proactive actions. Risk assessment is also justified by the fact that the whole world is subject to a varied typology of disaster risks in a context already weakened by the adverse effects of climate change.
Indeed, in Burundi, the assessment of risks and vulnerabilities based on the hazards of heavy rains, floods, earthquakes, landslides and strong wind, resulted in the production of a multi-risk map which was followed by the creation of the platform containing all the products of this study, he reported
He therefore asked civil protection managers, particularly the Directorate General for Civil Protection, Disaster Reduction, in collaboration with other humanitarian actors, to create a database on past disasters, which will serve as a reference to better manage future disasters. He also asked them to improve the communication system on seasonal weather forecasts by integrating, among other things, community radio stations so that this information reaches farmers and is useful to them.
He thanked all those who, directly or indirectly, support the efforts of the government of Burundi, aimed at protecting people and their property against the disaster risks and alleviating the suffering of communities affected by emergency situations.
He also thanked the United Nations system agencies, international and local organizations, civil society as well as the Burundi Red Cross for the quality of their collaboration with the civil protection services in favor of the population in need of humanitarian assistance. He encouraged that humanitarian family to develop many more community disaster resilience actions that integrate information technology into risk assessment.
As for the Director General of Civil Protection and Disaster Management, Mr. Anicet Nibaruta, the celebration of that World Day is an opportunity to assess the progress made, identify the challenges encountered and establish a projection to better help people, protect their property and protect the environment.
Indeed, the General Directorate of Civil Protection and Disaster Management has initiated and carried out actions to mitigate the effects of climate change and urban resilience with the support of partners, in particular, a large ravine in perpetual destruction in the Gasekebuye quarter, which was developed as part of the implementation of the disaster risk management project implemented by the national platform for risk prevention and disaster management jointly with the international organization for migration with funding from the European Union, the rehabilitation of a large ravine that threatened the basic school of Mugomere II and a cemetery close to it, in the urban center of Rumonge.
The General Directorate of Civil Protection has given some suggestions for better work, in particular to have young and dynamic staff to be trained in various areas of relief, to provide adequate and sufficient equipment and materials to fight against fires, emergency transport of the wounded, to support civil protection in setting up specialized search and rescue units, including a canine brigade to search for disaster victims under the rubble.