Minister Van Rooyen says that cooperation in Disaster Management can be a catalyst for deeper partnerships in BRICS
The Minister for Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), honourable Des van Rooyen in his capacity as the Minister leading the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) in South Africa attended the second meeting of BRICS Ministers of Disaster Management in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India from 22 to 23 August 2016.
This meeting follows the one that was convened in earlier this year in Russia attended by Deputy Minister for CoGTA, honourable Obed Bapela. The April meeting concluded with the signing of the St Petersburg Declaration on 20 April 2016.
This Declaration and Joint Action Plan of BRICS emergency services for 2016 – 2018 reaffirms the shared commitment to strengthen mutual cooperation in emergency management and the sharing of experiences to protect lives, livelihoods and properties amongst BRICS member countries.
In his address to conference, Minister empahsised the strategic importance of BRICS as it provides economic benefits such as increased trade an investment opportunities and assisting South Africa to increase its voice internationally. “South Africa can play a leading role BRICS by helping to facilitate deeper integration of relations between African states and other BRICS member countries and focusing on other niche advantages”, said Minister van Rooyen.
The Minister’s attendance of this meeting in India is in line with the South African Disaster Management Act, 2002 (DMA) which calls for the establishment of arrangements for cooperation in international disaster management and the establishment of joint standards of practice.
This conference also speaks to the Section (16)3 which encourages the NDMC to establish links with institutions and foreign disaster management agencies performing the similar functions so as to exchange information and to have access to international expertise in an assistance in respect of disaster management.
The meeting held in India from 22 -23 August 2016 deliberated on areas of cooperation with respect to floods risk management and forecasting of extreme weather events in the context of changing climate among the BRICS Countries and increased frequency and intensity of disasters, both natural and man-made.
What was clear from the meeting is that BRICS member countries face the common challenges of Disaster Management in the form of floods and extreme weather events. To this effect, the meeting also benefitted from the wisdom of stakeholders and experts who attended and delivered presentations at the meeting and working in the field of floods risk management and forecasting of extreme weather events.
The conference as part of its resolutions accepted that cooperation in disaster management is a key element of building peace and prosperity which is one of the key concepts in the BRICS partnership. “Cooperation in disaster management can also act as a catalyst for deeper partnership in other areas of BRICS cooperation”, said Minister.
Useful lessons can be learned within the BRICS partnership as some of the countries share a similar disaster risk profile as South Africa and there are many good practices that can be shared in this area. The meeting finally established a joint task team to implement the roadmap action plan.
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