Date: June 19, 2023 Kathmandu - In an effort to enhance disaster preparedness and response, the NGO Federation of Nepal organized a dialogue on Monsoon Disaster Preparedness on June 19, 2023. The event, which took place in Kathmandu, saw the participation of more than 70 individuals, including representatives from various government agencies, international and national NGOs, civil society organizations (CSOs), and other stakeholders. Mr. Dhurba Bahadur Khadka, the Spokesperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), presented the initiatives undertaken by the government in monsoon disaster preparedness. His presentation focused on the Monsoon Preparedness and Response National Action Plan 2080, the Monsoon Disaster Risk Analysis of Nepal, additional preparations by NDRRMA, and the expected roles and collaborations with CSOs in disaster management. Following Mr. Khadka's presentation, Mr. Surya Bahadur Thapa from DiMANN/DPNet emphasized the crucial role of CSOs in monsoon disaster preparedness. He highlighted the dynamic and diverse roles played by CSOs, along with the challenges they face in their preparedness efforts. During the remarks session, Mr. Ramesh Bahadur Basnet, Superintendent of the Nepal Police's Disaster Management Office, highlighted the essential preparations and the human resource capacity of the Nepal Police to respond effectively to monsoon disasters. Barun Paudel, Senior Divisional Meteorologist from the Meteorological Forecasting Division, provided an update on the monsoon's current status and meteorological forecasting. Ram Raj Bhattrai, Director of the Social Welfare Council (SWC), spoke about the SWC's disaster-related project agreements and its liaison role in disaster management. The open session allowed participants to express their solidarity with the government's initiatives and raise queries regarding Nepal's technical preparedness, human resource capacity, and mobilization during pre-disaster periods. Representatives from national and international networks and CSOs also shared their remarks. Neelam Khanal, Coordinator of the Disaster Working Group from the Association of International NGOs of Nepal (AIN), discussed the preparations made by INGOs for the monsoon season. Santosh Neupane from the Red Cross highlighted the organization's capacity and preparedness for disaster response. Pabitra Gautam, Secretary General of FECOFUN, emphasized the role of FECOFUN in disaster management and its infrastructure capacity that can be utilized in times of disasters. Mr. Ram Prasad Subedi, in his closing remarks, expressed gratitude to all the participants and released an appeal for monsoon disaster preparedness and management with solidarity from eight different thematic federations. The dialogue provided a platform for stakeholders to come together, exchange knowledge, and strengthen collaboration in their efforts to mitigate the impact of monsoon disasters. With the monsoon season approaching, the event aimed to enhance preparedness, response, and coordination among government agencies, NGOs, and CSOs to safeguard lives and minimize the loss caused by natural calamities.
NewsNational