NCDM AND DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS LAUNCH “SAFE STEPS” CAMPAIGN AS A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT TO PROMOTE SAFETY AGAINST NATURAL DISASTERS IN CAMBODIA

NCDM is the champion for disaster management, having formally launched the Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction 2019-2023, showcasing the commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia to help reduce the impacts of climate change and strengthen Cambodia’s resilience to climate-related disasters, and to mitigate socio-economic impacts through a strengthened disaster management mechanism. The campaign will further support the objectives of the Action Plan to promote safety measures and disaster preparedness actions for incoming natural hazards.

“The Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction 2019-2023 builds a strong foundation for Cambodia’s commitments to strengthen disaster management. We need to be better prepared for incoming rains and floods. For example, in previous years, we have been able to communicate early warning messages to communities in provinces nationwide through the Early Warning System (EWS) 1294. This has helped them prepare to avoid any harm to their families when natural hazards occur. We believe that the campaign will help better communicate safety to communities and promote life-saving practices. NCDM is committed to strengthen the safety and provide necessary resources to rescue people who are vulnerable to floods”, shared His Excellency Seak Vichet, Deputy Secretary General, National Committee for Disaster Management.

The “Natural Disaster Safe Steps” campaign will be a learning and advocacy platform that will share knowledge through awareness messaging on various medium focusing on proper response to disaster.

“Knowledge can save lives and the ‘Natural Disaster Safe Steps’ campaign will provide vital information to communities vulnerable to flooding,” said Mr. Ben Wohlauer, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy Cambodia. “USAID’s support will provide communities with the information and tools they need to help them prepare for and better manage the impacts of natural disasters. We are proud to work with our partners - the World Food Programme and People in Need – to support the government’s overall natural disaster preparation plan”.

Disaster preparedness plays a crucial role in sustainable development for Cambodia, the World Food Programme (WFP) works closely with the Royal Government of Cambodia to strengthen national capacities through developing tools for disaster preparedness. “This campaign is an important tool for strengthening capacities for disaster preparedness and protecting vulnerable communities from floods in Cambodia. We will work closely with NCDM, BHA, PIN and stakeholders to implement this campaign successfully. Through this effort, we hope that more people will be reached through the flood early warning system EWS1294”, shared Mr. Kurt Burja, Programme Policy Officer, WFP Cambodia.

The Early Warning System (EWS) 1294 Facebook Page will be the main platform to share videos on safety practices, stories from different individuals, and informative and educational materials to showcase Cambodia work and efforts on disaster management. Most importantly, the campaign will showcase Cambodia’s use of the Early Warning System (EWS) 1294 as an innovative tool to save lives, “early warnings must go hand in hand with early actions. People need to know what to do to protect themselves in times of emergencies,” pointed out by His Excellency Seak Vichet.

“It is a privilege for PIN to be part of such a powerful campaign led by the National Committee for Disaster Management, USAID BHA, and WFP. This campaign prioritises the safety of communities who are vulnerable to natural hazards in Cambodia. In fact, Cambodia has been using the Early Warning System (EWS) 1294 which was developed by People in Need (PIN), to send early warning messages to thousands of people nationwide to inform them of incoming rains. This technology focuses on the “human” in humanitarian, and we hope that this can help save more lives in Cambodia from natural disasters”, shared Mr. Lukáš Laube, Country Director, People in in Need Cambodia.

The campaign will be running from July until December 2021, led by the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, and supported by the World Food Programme (WFP), and People in Need (PIN) Cambodia.