By Isatou Jawara
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) is set to join a global disaster management organisation dubbed, the International Civil Defence Organisation (ICDO). To initiate discussions and prepare the Agency for this undertaking, the Secretary General ICDO, Madam Mariatou Yap was in the country for a four-day working visit. She affirmed that her visit would enhance the country’s efforts to join ICDO as well as create rooms of engagement with Gambian authorities.
ICDO comprises sixty members, out of which there are twenty-eight African countries.
“If Gambia joins the ICDO, it will accompany the national systems and this accomplishment can be done through capacity building, providing yearly training for stakeholders from The Gambia. ICDO can also provide technical assistance and humanitarian projects that can span more than a year. These are benefits that The Gambia can gain once admitted into the ICDO family,” the Secretary General highlighted.
She assured that stronger members are available to offer help to developing countries.
The ICDO boss pointed out that no one country can mitigate disaster alone; that there is a need for nations to come together with resources and inputs in the collective efforts to build disaster resistance and mitigation. The Gambia’s joining the international disaster management organisation will further empower the country to harness all the gains available at the ICDO and better prepare the country to deal with disasters,” she added.
Further commenting on the significance of her visit, Madam Yap said it accorded her and the ICDO delegation the opportunity to have an overview of the disaster situation in the country through the NDMA. He observed that The Gambia is faced with five major disasters; namely flooding, windstorm, fire outbreaks, diseases and oil spills.
Sanna Dahaba, Executive Director of NDMA, expressed optimism that the country stands to gain a lot from the global organisation, noting that human and state security go together; thus making it important for The Gambia to partner with an institutions like ICDO in defending human security.
