Second Arab Forum to Combat Disasters and Anticipate Climate Change Begins in Tunisia

Tunis, Oct 12 (KUNA) -- The second Arab Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction and Anticipating Climate Change kicked off today in the Tunisian capital, with broad participation from Arab experts, officials, and representatives of the United Nations and regional and international organizations, aiming to establish a unified Arab vision for combating natural disasters.

Mohamed Saleh bin Issa, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Arab League’s office in Tunis, told journalists on the sidelines of the opening ceremony that the two-day forum falls within the framework of the Arab League’s commitment to supporting joint Arab action. He added that the forum serves the common Arab interest, particularly in light of the growing risks associated with climate change.

He clarified that the forum aims to conduct an in-depth study of various aspects related to anticipating crises and avoiding the negative impacts of climate change, such as earthquakes, floods, flash floods, and other phenomena that have begun to cause serious damage to lives and property in Arab countries and beyond.

He stressed that climate change has today become a fundamental and crucial factor in shaping economic and climate policies, and has even brought about significant changes in economic theories and political economy. He revealed the existence of a unified Arab strategy and extensive coordination among expertise and competencies in Arab countries to confront these challenges through practical mechanisms and concrete joint programs.

He noted that the forum will become a recurring event, with its first edition held in Cairo and the second hosted in Tunis, aiming to enhance coordination among teams and experts specializing in disaster risk reduction.

For his part, Ridane Al-Saggaaf, Deputy Regional Director of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) for the Arab region, stated in a similar remark that the Arab region is currently witnessing a significant escalation in the impacts of climate change, which necessitated the launch of several programs under a unified Arab vision for combating natural disasters.

Al-Saggaaf explained that these programs are part of the implementation of the Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction under the umbrella of the Arab League.

The forum, organized in collaboration between the Arab League, UNDRR, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, aims to assess Arab progress in the field of early warning systems for natural disasters. (End) S.B.M. / S.A.M.