Abu Dhabi hosts Crisis and Emergency Management Conference 2016

The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) is convening its Crisis and Emergency Management Conference 2016 (CEMC) at a time when both the region and world are passing through exceptional circumstances marked by successive crises, though with disproportionate severity, from time to time, organisers say. The Crisis and Emergency Management Conference is designed to raise awareness and educate national crisis management communities and their partners in the UAE and GCC of the systems and processes to be employed during potential crisis scenarios. ''These crises will provide a rich thematic subject for discussion, debate and dialogue on extremely sensitive and carefully selected agenda from the events and changes taking place in Arab and international arenas,'' Dr. Jamal M. Al Hosani, Director-General of NCEMA, says in the conference book which will kick start in Abu Dhabi tomorrow under the theme ''Innovative Approaches Towards a safe Nation.'' The two-day conference, he states, will provide a precious opportunity for keynote speakers and stakeholders to present their experiences and experiments as well as their knowledge and information that will produce recommendations which will pave the way for advanced, effective and innovative solutions to address and manage crises, their repercussions and impact and help to limit human and financial losses and damage. ''While life and communities are developing and progressing, new, complicated series of risks and threats are emerging, adding to our responsibilities and duties. That is why we consider addressing the latest and best mechanisms in crisis and disaster management, taking into consideration the global transformations in terms of consequences and solutions so that we can thoroughly devise required plans and programmes based on analysis of the present reality,'' he explains. ''We should not stand by and wait for the disaster to strike in some countries plagued by catastrophic situations and absence of security in their communities. Rather, we need to have a deep holistic approach to security with all its economic, social and political perspectives so as to recommend solutions that protect our communities from terrorism and its negative impact,'' he adds. To have a safe, responsible community that is responsive and vigilant to crises and disasters, he indicates, we must develop innovative methods based on early planning, good preparation and timely, complete readiness. On the 5th conference's programme, Dr. Hosani explains it will feature five plenary sessions: Holistic Approach to Security; Integrated approaches to Disasters and Crisis Management; Global Trends: Consequences and Solutions; the Pivotal Role of the Media in Emergency and Disasters Management; and Challenges and Solutions in Recovery Phase. In the First Session, Emirati, French and Saudi speakers will address Crisis from Security Perspective, the Unification of the Gulf States Security, Protecting Communities from Terrorist Ideology, while the Second Session will host British, Australian and Egyptian panellists to speak about Innovative Approaches to Disasters, the Australian Approach to Establish a National Community Information Warning System and Sendai Framework Priorities, respectively. Jordan’s Experience in Dealing with the Refugee Crisis, Reorganisation of the UK’s Search and Rescue (SAR) Services and the Lessons learned and Staying Ahead of the Future will be the topics of the Third Session. In the Fourth Session, experts will tackle the Role of the Media in Emergency and Crisis Management, Media-Made Crisis and Fukushima Disaster from a Communication Perspective, while participants in the Fifth Session will discuss the Role of Governments and International Organisations in Recovery of Aviation Incidents, the Importance of Indicators and Targets in Monitoring Variables. Two workshops to be held on the margins of the event will address Strategic Emergency and Crisis Management Planning and Building Resilience. This is the fifth edition of the conference that was first held in 2008. This initiative is the first of its kind in the MENA region in the field of crisis, disaster and emergency management. The conference attracts a prominent group of experts and specialists in the field of emergency management to shed light on the experiences of numerous countries and institutions that focus on the successful management of emergency, crisis and major events. In the last edition of the conference, the main focus was highlighting the latest international best practices in the field of crisis and emergency management and also transfer of international experience and introducing the latest technologies in this field to underscore state’s ability to face any crisis or emergency by hosting prominent speakers and experts from all over the world. As one of the highly specialised and leading conferences in the region, the event is a testament of the leading role the UAE plays in the region to safeguard peace, stability and security. The conference is a highly important one as it tackled a number of critical issues in its previous editions where many experts and specialised academicians from the UAE, GCC, a number of countries, Australia, USA, UK, Italy, Japan and the UN enriched the conference with their valuable input. These conferences aim to improve crisis and emergency management and handling in the UAE in particular and in the Gulf and Middle East regions in general. They are an opportunity for participants to thoroughly understand other people’s experiences particularly in the areas of coordinating the process of crisis management on the one hand and, increasing knowledge and raising awareness in the UAE and the region on the other hand. They also allow national and local bodies to benefit from international experiences while at the same time giving them the opportunity to present their ideas and discuss them with international experts. These conferences discuss a bundle of important strategic topics that tackle diverse issues such as: preparedness, command and control in times of crisis, ecological and industrial security, confronting terrorism, electronic and technological security, the role of the media and communications in crisis management as well as development, construction, health and healthcare projects. They also allow local and international officials who participate in them the opportunity to get exposed to innovative and practical ideas in the areas of coordinating efforts and shared roles locally nationally and regionally in dealing with crisis, emergencies and disasters. The goals of these conferences revolve around the following: Creating the knowledge, awareness and preparedness for crisis emergency and disaster management; Encouraging and organising collaboration between neighbouring countries for crisis, emergency and disaster management; Exchanging experiences related to crisis, emergency and disaster management internationally and Ensuring the application of best practices in crisis and emergency management. The Crisis and Emergency Management Conference, organised by NCEMA in Abu Dhabi, aims to deepen the knowledge of the stakeholders in both the national security and crisis and emergency management sectors in the UAE and the GCC about the modern tools and applications used to deal with potential emergency scenarios. The Conference has succeeded since it was launched in 2008, in luring regional and international attention, by attracting large numbers of subject matter experts and strategists from different parts of the world. It was the first and only conference in the area of crisis and emergency management in the Gulf and Middle East representing a platform to exchange the views of internationally renowned experts and researchers in the area; through a series of seminars and workshops hoping to come up with the most adequate solutions and procedures in cases of emergencies and crisis as well as trying to minimise the possible casualties and ensure speedy recovery at every. The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority NCEMA was established by a decree from His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, President of the UAE. The Decree was issued on May 14, 2007, and it made NCEMA part of the organisational structure of the Supreme Council for National Security according to Decree No. 2 of 2011, which was issued on the 19th of June 2011, and it aims to ensure the safety and security of all UAE nationals and all residents of the UAE, in addition to protecting the state’s assets and achievements. The NCEMA aims to implement state policy on all the aspects of crisis and emergency management. Therefore, it coordinates with all relevant authorities and participates in the preparation of the strategic plans of crisis, disasters and emergency management, including the response plans, business sustainability plans for critical facilities, and the implementation of such plans. Moreover, NCEMA works on developing the response capabilities of those entities by proposing and coordination the necessary programs at the local and federal levels. NCEMA is responsible for updating those plans regularly and participating in the preparation and updating of the threats and risks log at the national and local levels. It is also responsible for the management of emergencies, crises and disasters and ensuring proper coordination with the competent authorities in case of any emergency, crisis or disaster. NCEMA participates in the coordinating the emergency plans for critical facilities and infrastructure in the UAE. It also follows in the implementation of those plans, setting principles of professional safety and security, business continuity plans and evaluating the procedures of crisis, emergency and disasters management. NCEMA also conducts the relevant studies and scientific research in this field through its information and resources centre that deals with predicting crisis and disasters and ensuring proper crisis and disasters management. It also prepares, coordinates and implements the relevant drills and exercises in those fields. NCEMA proposes legislations and regulations that regulate emergency, crisis and disaster management and shapes the aspects of cooperation with competent entities in those fields. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395292784448.html http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395292784492.html