Uganda Disaster Preparedness Plan

 

This Disaster Preparedness Plan for Uganda is designed to provide guidance on how to meet the challenge of being prepared to respond as set out in Priority Five of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).

Why develop a Preparedness Plan to support the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action?

The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) is the key instrument for implementing disaster risk reduction, adopted by the Member States of the United Nations. Its overarching goal is to build resilience of nations and communities to disasters, by achieving substantive reduction of disaster losses by 2015 - in lives, and in the social, economic, and environmental assets of communities and countries. The HFA offers five areas of priorities for action, guiding principles and practical means for achieving disaster resilience for vulnerable communities in the context of sustainable development.

Priority 5 of the HFA calls for strengthening of disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels.

Being prepared, including conducting risk assessments, before investing in development at all levels of society will enable people to become more resilient to natural hazards. Preparedness involves many types of activities, including:

The development and regular testing of contingency plans;

The establishment of emergency funds to support preparedness, response and recovery activities;

The development of coordinated regional approaches for effective disaster response; and

Continuous dialogue between response agencies, planners and policy-makers, and development organizations.

Regular disaster preparedness exercises, including evacuation drills, also are key to ensuring rapid and effective disaster response.

Effective preparedness plans and organization also help to cope with the many small and medium-sized disasters that repeatedly occur in so many communities.

Natural hazards cannot be prevented, but it is possible to reduce their impacts by reducing the vulnerability of people and their livelihoods.

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The Draft Uganda Preparedness Plan

The plan is currently in draft form and comments are being submitted by workshop attendees and other interested preparedness actors.

The first section, Priority Preparedness Actions for Uganda, outlines a summary of the key steps that need to be taken to ensure that Uganda is prepared to respond to its priority disaster risks. All these actions need to be taken before the end of 2009, but some are more urgent than others, particularly those that target potential disasters such as drought and flooding.

The second section, the Uganda Disaster Preparedness Plan, outlines the expected outcomes of the disaster preparedness process in Uganda by the end of 2009. It shows an assessment of the current status of preparedness, and outlines the actions that need to be taken to meet the preparedness goals laid down by the Hyogo Framework for Action. Many of these actions support the Priority Preparedness Actions outlined in the beginning of the document.

A disaster risk analysis for Uganda is attached as Annex 1. A further annex provides a list of workshop participants who supported the development of this plan.

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Summary: Priority Preparedness Actions for Uganda

The draft plan sets out the following Priority Preparedness Actions that need to be completed by the end of 2009. Some are more urgent and need to be undertaken immediately

1. Progress on the Uganda Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Policy

2. Establishment of a National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

3. Capacity Building at all Levels

4. Centralised Early Warning unit

5. Determination of Priority Disaster Risks

6. Comprehensive, Updated Contingency Plans for Priority Disaster Risks

7. Public Awareness Campaigns on Disaster Risks and Preparedness

8. Funding for Preparedness and Response

9. Systematic Support from Regional Bodies

How will the plan be taken forward?

It is hoped that the plan will be supported by the Ministry of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, and will become part of the work of the proposed National Platform for Disaster Reduction.

Certain elements of the plan are already being undertaken (at the time of the workshop):

The Uganda Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Policy is currently being reviewed by the President, and will then be passed to Cabinet for formal approval

Capacity building work is currently being undertaken in certain high-risk areas by UNDP, Oxfam GB Uganda and World Vision, and will soon be supported by CADRI

A preliminary determination and analysis of priority disaster risks was undertaken based on the scientific information presented during this workshop, and is attached to the draft Uganda Disaster Preparedness Plan. Other risk analyses have also been performed in certain high-risk areas, for example by Oxfam GB Uganda.

 

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Contingency plans will be updated by the clusters (which include participation from relevant government ministries), supported by OCHA, as a priority. The issues related to Disaster Response that were discussed at this workshop will be included in those plans

OCHA's Regional Office in Nairobi (RO-CEA) will assist with strengthening the links with disaster preparedness and response actors at regional level

The plan should be close to achieving its expected outcomes by the end of 2009. Progress against the indicators outlined in the plan will be recorded and disseminated every six months, starting with 30 June 2008.

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