Articles
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs Fiji
Ambassador Khan Chairs the Launch of Global Assessment Report
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Pictured from L-R: Ambassador Khan, Ms. Mami Mizutori and Professor Aromar Ravi during the launching session of the Global Assessment Report (GAR19) on the margins of the 6th Session of the UN Disaster Risk Reduction Global Platform
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Fiji’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nazhat Shameem Khan chaired the launching of the Global Assessment Report (GAR19) on the margins of the 6th Session of the UN Disaster Risk Reduction Global Platform last week.
GAR is recognized for its new ground breaking findings on risk and its reduction which challenges prevailing norms and which is essential to re-examine our behaviour and choices. It is the leading publication on disaster risk reduction in understanding of how disaster risk is created.
It provides the first update from countries on progress against the seven targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the global guide to understanding and dealing with disaster risks.
The launching was widely anticipated by the 150 Member States, international and regional organisations, civil societies and academia in attendance.
In her opening remarks, Ambassador Khan said that “GAR 2019 challenges us to think of new ways about disaster risk management, to think of the plurality of risk rather than simply addressing the threats posed by individual hazards which is fundamental to re-examine how we deal with risk.”
She emphasised on the need to cooperate and venture out to small and vulnerable communities so as to ease their burden “We need timely interventions to effectively protect those groups who are most at risk, with special emphasis on those living in low-income countries and small island developing states.” The GAR 2019 lays out all the arguments for doing so in an urgent and effective manner.
So far 56 countries have reported on their progress in achieving the Sendai Framework Target which sets a deadline of 2020 for national and local strategies to be in place to reduce disaster losses.
Interestingly, the latest GAR19 moves beyond disaster risk to consider the pluralistic nature of risk in multiple dimensions, at multiple scales and with multiple impacts. It provides a guidance on ways the governments, communities and individuals can effectively understand the relationship associated with disaster risk and its reduction.
The panel included Ms. Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Professor Aromar Ravi from the Indian Institute for Human Settlements. This is one of the two sessions which Ambassador Khan chaired in the UNDRR Global Platform event in Geneva, Switzerland.
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Several members of Public Accounts Committee of the Fijian Parliament visiting Wellington this week took advantage of a visit to the Wellington City Council’s Southern Landfill yesterday to glean a few ideas for waste management in Fiji. This included the Hon. Alexander O’Connor, Assistant Minister for Health, Ratu Suliano Matanitobua, Opposition parliamentarian and Ms. Priya Chand, Parliamentary Secretary who were accompanied by the Fiji High Commission New Zealand staff.
The Southern landfill is an impressive setup particularly as it focuses on recycling and minimising the damage to the environment at the landfill.
Other remarkable features of the landfill were its gas collection, electricity regeneration, green waste mulching and water table management. The Hon. O’Connor, an engineer by profession, was particularly impressed and intends to develop a few ideas for the Fijian Government to consider.
The PAC members were invited to attend the Pacific PAC training seminar in Wellington facilitated by UNDP from the 12th to the 13th December.
The PAC members, including Deputy Chair, Hon. Mohammed Dean, MP, were hosted to afternoon tea at the Fiji Chancery. It was an opportunity for the Parliamentarians to meet the Locally Engaged Staff at the Mission and also update the staff on the work and concerns of the Public A
