Ethiopia: National policy and strategy on disaster risk management
The 2013 policy provides for a comprehensive framework of disaster risk management (DRN) measures, and is an amendment of the 1993 National policy on disaster prevention and management. It includes general directions and major implementation strategies, including on a decentralized DRM system, early warning and risk assessment, information management, capacity building, and on integration of disaster risk reduction into development plans.
The main objective of the Policy is to reduce disaster risks and potential damage caused by a disaster through establishing a comprehensive and coordinated disaster risk management system in the context of sustainable development.
Specific objectives of the policy are the following: (i) to reduce and eventually prevent disaster risk and vulnerability that pose challenges to development through enhancing the culture of integrating disaster risk reduction into development plans and programmes as well as by focusing on and implementing activities to be carried out before, during, and after the disaster period to address underlying factors of recurrent disasters; (ii) to save lives, protect livelihoods, and ensure all disaster affected population are provided with recovery and rehabilitation assistances; (iii) to reduce dependency on and expectations for relief aid by bringing attitudinal change and building resilience of vulnerable people; and (iv) to ensure that disaster risk management is mainstreamed into development plans and programs across all secoral institutions and implemented at all levels.