"Red Crescent": Readiness and Prevention are Key to Mitigating Disaster Risks

This came during a ceremony held by the association on Sunday to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which falls on October 13 each year. This year’s theme is “Resilience Begins at Home,” with participation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Regional Delegation to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the General Fireforce.

Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of the event, Al-Mughamsi emphasized that protecting human life and preserving human dignity are fundamental priorities in humanitarian work. He stressed the importance of advance planning, training, raising public awareness, and investing in human capacity building to mitigate the impacts of disasters.

For her part, Delegation Head Anne Montavon underscored the importance of strengthening communities’ capacity to face disasters, noting that families and local communities represent the first line of defense in emergencies.

Montavon said that building resilience requires strengthening local capacities and supporting volunteers as an integral part of the communities they serve. She praised the partnership with the Red Crescent and cooperation with the Fire Department in enhancing preparedness and emergency response.

For his part, Commander of the General Fireforce, Major General Talal Al-Roumi, affirmed that Kuwait, under the high directives of its political leadership, has paid great attention to developing its disaster risk management system, considering it one of the pillars of national security and sustainable development, through enhancing proactive planning and unifying efforts to protect lives and property.

Al-Roumi said that Kuwait’s hosting of the Sixth Arab Regional Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction in February 2025, and the resulting “Kuwait Declaration on Disaster Risk Reduction,” along with an action plan to accelerate the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, reflect the state’s commitment to developing an integrated risk management system and enhancing regional and international cooperation in this field.

He confirmed Kuwait’s continued cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and its commitment to the goals of the Sendai Framework, while working to develop early warning systems, risk assessment tools, and the exchange of international expertise, to ensure the continuity of vital services, protect national achievements, and build a more resilient society.