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SARAJEVO, October 13 (FENA) - Representatives of the Municipality of Kakanj, the Embassy of Switzerland and the United Nations Agency in Bosnia and Herzegovina marked today in Kakanj the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR Day) whose theme this year is "Everything is in good governance".
This draws attention to the fact that we should not wait for a catastrophe to happen, but take a preventive approach through joint action.
The event was organized within the joint program "Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina", which is worth 8.4 million KM funded by the Government of Switzerland and the United Nations (UN), and implemented by UN agencies: UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNFPA and FAO.
Through this program, work is being done to address priorities in the field of disaster risk reduction, which have been identified by local authorities and actors in the sectors of protection and rescue, education, social and child protection, health and agriculture.
Special emphasis is placed on improving coordination at the local level and on improving strategic planning that relies on risk data, taking into account the most vulnerable categories of the population.
“Recent disasters have significantly slowed down the development of local communities and the country as a whole. To prevent similar situations in the future, systematic disaster risk management is necessary. Kakanj is one of ten municipalities that have the support of the Swiss and UN joint program in introducing measures to manage disaster risks,” Maja Zarić, Head of the Sector for Local Government and Municipal Management at the Swiss Embassy, said on this occasion.
UNICEF BiH Representative and Acting UN Resident Coordinator in BiH, Rownak Khan, stressed that human activity contributes to increased disaster risk.
“Economic and social instability, migration, displacement, urbanization, poor environmental management and climate change are important factors contributing to the growing and complex consequences of the disasters we face. For this reason, the UN is actively involved in development activities that reduce disaster risks and help us adapt to climate change. Under the Joint Program of the Government of Switzerland and the UN, in cooperation with partners and local authorities, we have taken concrete measures to strengthen multisectoral capacities for disaster risk reduction. We are changing the way we approach the challenges of disaster risk by focusing on prevention and early action, as well as systemic investment in strengthening the resilience of communities and populations, especially the most vulnerable categories,” said Khan.
(FENA) A. B.
