Vice President calls for proper planning to avert replica of food, disaster crises in neighbouring countries

The unfolding food crisis coupled with the recent floods and current political turmoil in Mali and Guinea Bissau have become eye-catching regional phenomena that have arrested the attention of policymakers and governments in the sub-region, as The Gambia’s vice president calls for the promotion of “resilient-based approach”. VP Isatou Njie-Saidy was speaking recently during the validation of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) capacity assessment report, held at the Paradise Suites Hotel, when she said “disasters are becoming more frequent, complex and trans-boundary in nature”. “The 2010 floods in West Africa, the current Sahel food crisis, the current political and security situation in Guinea Bissau and Mali to name a few are clear testimonies to the vulnerability of the sub-region and [therefore] necessitate the urgent need to promote a resilience-based approach with the required capacities to emergencies and disasters.”

Vice President Isatou Njie-Saidy She added: “Promoting a resilience-based approach therefore is now considered the best approach to address humanitarian and emergency issues whilst at the same time addressing the structural causes of vulnerability within the country and communities.” She emphasises the need to have in place appropriate meteorological and early warning systems that are responsive to the environment and have the ability to predict existing hazards, as complex emergencies and disasters are inevitable. “To address the weather-related disasters, I call on the department of Water Resources to expedite the reform of the meteorological unit, which I presume will lead to improved services to the public including more accurate predictions/forecasts on the weather and the onset of rains,” the vice president notes.

She is also the Chairperson of NDMA While the country remains vulnerable to climate change and its vagaries, Dr Njie-Saidy says it is imperative “we build resilience of our infrastructure, economy, communities and services to withstand pressures from any future hazards”. She cited the DRR programme in government’s development blueprint – the PAGE, saying: “In fact the full and early attainment of the MDG targets and the promotion of sustainable growth and development will be an illusion if the DRR is ignored in our national development agenda.” This is all the more reason why disaster risk reduction is well encapsulated in the PAGE - Programme for Accelerated Growth and Employment as a cross-cutting pillar in support of national development efforts, The Gambia’s vice president said.