Gabon’s National Platform holds inaugural workshop, solutions for future disasters must go beyond humanitarian response

A three-day workshop took place in Libreville from 25-27 July to officially launch the activities of Gabon’s National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. There was a clear vision from the participants of the workshop that humanitarian response could not solve the problem of disasters.

"This workshop is an opportunity to develop a national strategy to prevent risks, inspired both by the African Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Hyogo Framework for Action," said Jean François Ndongou, the Minister of Interior, who opened the workshop.

Organized by the Ministry of Interior, Public Security, Immigration and Decentralization, the inaugural event provided an opportunity for various national groups to discuss ways to work together towards reducing the country’s risk to disasters. This included government ministries, local government bodies, mayors, universities and the private sector. The workshop also included representatives from UNISDR and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

The country’s National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction is hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Gabon’s National Platform was formally established by Decree No. 0672/PR/MISPD/ on May 6 this year, just prior to the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction held in Geneva, Switzerland. The National Platform is a multi-sectoral commission that promotes disaster prevention, as well as risk reduction in the country. Its mission is to coordinate and strengthen collaboration for disaster risk reduction in support of the Hyogo Framework for Action, a 10-year plan adopted by 168 member states of the United Nations to make the world safer from natural hazards.