Crisis and EmergencyManagement Conference 2012

Prologue 6

About this Book 7

Address of the National Security Advisor 8

Address of the Director General of NCEMA 9

Crisis and Emergency Management Conference Overview- Concept and Objectives 10

Overview of Past CEMC Conferences: 11

• CEMC 2008 12

• CEMC 2010 14

CEMC 2012 17

• Participants 18

• Press Conference 19

• Inaugural Session 20

• First Plenary Session 22

• Second Plenary Session 22

• Third Plenary Session 23

• Fourth Plenary Session 24

• Workshops 24

• Concluding Session and Recommendations 25

Interviews 27

• Dr. Abdul Latif Al Zayani 29

• Dr. Abdul Aziz Yussuf Hamza 33

• Major General Salem bin Musallam Katan 37

• HE Mohammed Nasser Al Ghanem 41

• Khalid Khalifa 45

Photos from the Conference

INDEX

62012

The Supreme National Security Council’s National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) was proud to hold the third edition of the Crisis and Emergency Management Conference (CEMC 2012) in Abu Dhabi on January 16 and 17, 2012. The conference was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi. It was attended by a number of senior civil and military officials and an elite group of specialists from local, regional and international bodies and organisations.

The Conference comprised four workshop sessions where a number of academics, specialists and experts proposed ideas and experiences related to addressing emergencies, crises and disasters.

The conference was entitled “Preparing for Future Challenges… Improvised Solutions in Emergency and Crisis Management”. It focused on emergency response, lessons learned, main challenges, the importance of coordination and cooperation in emergency management and information environment.

The topics that successive speakers tackled included: measuring success in coordinating relief operations and humanitarian assistance, natural disaster management and challenges, responding to crisis developments (lessons learned from response operations during Australia’s flooding crisis in 2011), national emergency plan for the telecommunications sector in the UAE, measuring capabilities – social systems and their ability to withstand crises, mechanisms to measure the effectiveness of response, the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters, crisis management for nuclear power plants in Korea, the role of numerical models in the prediction of natural and nuclear disasters, efficient search and rescue in populated areas – benefiting from GIS technology, the role of information in the existing operating environment, the basic infrastructure of national spatial data and its emergency management applications and, finally, the evolution of the role of social media in emergency management.

Two workshops were held on the sidelines of the conference: “From Hurricane Katrina to Deep Water Horizon: Consolidating Efforts to Manage Disasters” and “Facilitating Business Continuity Planning through Public-Private Sector Cooperation.”

Prologue

7

This book documents the proceedings of the Crisis and Emergency Management Conference 2012 and highlights the concepts and topics that were addressed during the event’s four sessions and two workshops.

In addition to the recommendations issued at the conclusion of the conference, the book also includes a series of exclusive interviews to “Taware’e wa Azamat” that were published in the magazine’s first issue. Interviews were conducted with HE the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Head of the GCC Centre for Disasters Dr. Abdul Aziz Yussuf Hamza, the Assistant Inspector General of Police and Customs at the Royal Oman Police Major General Salem bin Musallam Katan, HE the Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority in the UAE Mohammed Nasser Al Ghanem and lastly, the Head of the Gulf Sector at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Khalid Al Khalifa.

The Supreme Council for National Security, represented by NCEMA, was keen on holding the conference herein documented in response to the directives of the wise leadership of the UAE, which insists on the need to hold international emergency, crisis and disaster management conferences in the UAE. Such events are instrumental in allowing the UAE to profit from worldwide experiences, expertise and technologies. This in turn strengthens the country’s abilities to counter various types of hazards. The large number and high calibre of expertise and specialisations brought together from the world over in these conferences contribute immensely to the development and evolution of emergency management in the UAE and in the entire region.

As we address this publication to stakeholders and researchers in the field of emergency management, we hope it will bring an added value to existing knowledge and expertise in the field, as we strive to ultimately attain the common goal of ensuring a safer and more secure community.

About this book

82012

In this day and age, as scientific and technological developments have left their mark on almost every aspect of life and as telecommunication advancement has turned our big world into a small village, it is no longer acceptable for states and relevant authorities to wait until risks occur to find ways to counter them and to address their outcomes.

It is no longer admissible to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to research, studies, discoveries and inventions worldwide. Careful monitoring of the latest discoveries, concepts and methods is a must for governments that have an obligation to prevent hazards before they occur. This could be achieved only through research and systematic action to prevent emergencies or, at the very least, to mitigate their effects.

We, in the United Arab Emirates and at the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) are guided by the directives and the unlimited support of our wise leadership to exploit all available capabilities in order to preserve lives and to protect the nation’s achievements.

For this reason, we strive to forge effective and fruitful partnerships with local, regional and international emergency management bodies to support research and studies in these types of hazards which no government or state, no matter how capable, could counter or manage on its own.

Hence came the idea of holding international specialised and scientific conferences where ideas, visions, experiences and discoveries converge in expert-moderated plenary sessions, in brainstorming sessions or in research workshops all in the aim of producing the best solutions for emergency management and preparing for future challenges.

We have high hopes for this conference and we have full confidence in the expertise and competences of lecturers and researchers taking part in this event. Constant seeking of preventive solutions remains our optimal method of operation when it comes to countering emergencies.

“Prevention is better than cure,” says the old proverb. Consequently, programmes and plans to ensure the security and immunity of states are a must. Learning, training, skill-building and continued development of competences are essential requirements that are determined by meticulously compiled risk registers. This is the way to develop adequate strategies, form response agencies and enhance capabilities to ensure that emergencies and crises can be successfully overcome.

Proper and skilful management of emergencies requires before anything else pre-emptive thinking and an ability to delicately read and analyse warning signs, indices and harbingers before diagnosing and addressing problems. This is what makes the difference between preventive and pre-emptive planning-based administrations and unprepared administrations. This is how we build strong, durable nations and communities capable of withstanding emergencies.

Improvised Solutions Requiredto Manage Future Challenges

HH Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al NahyanNational Security Advisor

9

Since its inception in 2007, the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) has been striving for excellence. Its role and mission serve the greater aim of preserving lives and properties by bolstering the UAE’s capabilities and abilities to manage and withstand all types of emergencies, ensure business continuity and guarantee fast recovery. This can only be done through preparedness, joint planning and use of all means of coordination and communication at all levels: federal, local and private.

To reach its goal, NCEMA has carefully pursued two inseparable tracks. The first, internal, focuses on supporting coordination amongst all stakeholders in the Emirati society, forming local emergency teams in all the emirates, consolidating the culture of volunteerism amongst citizens and residents, developing training programmes and response plans, coordinating programmes and enhancing capabilities based on a regularly reviewed and updated risk register.

The second track, external, has NCEMA networking with various stakeholders and counterparts, signing coordination agreements to ensure exchange of expertise, technologies and training programmes, holding scientific conferences that ensure a merger of ideas and visions regarding various existing and expected emergencies, determining their causes, deducing lessons for the future and, accordingly, developing plans for business continuity and successful post-disaster recovery.

Along these lines, the third edition of the Crisis and Emergency Management Conference attracted a significant local, Arab and international attendance. Academics, experts and stakeholders take part in the event to discuss major world events and lessons learned. Together, they try to foresee crises and disasters based on reasonable scenarios and together they exchange visions and ideas about many current issues and they seek to come up with the best solutions in emergency management and preparedness for future challenges.

This third edition of our prestigious event, unique in our region, has been possible thanks to the kind patronage of the UAE’s wise leaderships: HH the President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and HH Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor and Chairman of NCEMA.

NCEMA takes upon itself to organise this conference once again this year driven by a deep conviction that such international conventions are favourable conduits for ideas and solutions for competent, knowledgeable, scientific and systematic management of emergencies.

A New Edition, a New Success

HE Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi Director General of NCEMA

102012

Holding the international conference on emergency and crisis management is listed as the fourth item on NCEMA’s list of objectives that aim to raise awareness and enhance emergency response effectiveness and performance in the UAE.

No matter how advanced, individually experienced and capable, countries and local agencies and organisations could never survive without the assistance and cooperation of other similar bodies and organisations worldwide.

For this reason, NCEMA approaches its relationship with other relevant bodies as a top priority as it believes that we are not alone in this world. Accordingly, and as per the directives of the wise leadership of the UAE, NCEMA has been keen to hold international emergency and crisis management conferences in the UAE as a way to benefit from global experiences, expertise and technologies and to strengthen its own emergency management role and capabilities.

Conferences such as this one aim to raise the level of emergency management in general in the UAE, the Gulf region and the Middle East. They enable participants to acquire in-depth knowledge of experiences and expertise regarding the coordination of action and management of crises on one hand, and, on the other hand, raise awareness in the UAE and the region about the need for a coordinated concept of emergency management. Such conventions are an opportunity for local and national institutions to profit from worldwide experiences and to exchange ideas and solutions with international experts.

Numerous topics of strategic importance are discussed at the conference namely preparedness and command & control during crises, environmental and industrial security, countering terrorism, cyber and technological security, the role of telecommunications and the media in emergency management and issues pertaining to development, medicine and health. Officials from the UAE and other participating nations are given an opportunity to get to listen to creative and practical ideas in terms of coordinating efforts and joint action at all levels in times of emergency.

The objectives of these conferences are listed as follows:

Creating knowledge, awareness, readiness and preparedness to emergencies, crises and disasters.

Fostering and regulating joint cooperation between regional countries.

Exchanging global emergency management expertise.

Establishing the best solutions for management of emergencies.

NCEMA’s Crisis and Emergency Management Conference seeks to raise the level of awareness within competent and relevant authorities in the UAE and the GCC about modern systems and solutions for dealing with emergencies.

Since it was held for the first time in 2008, the conference attracted the interest and attention of regional and international stakeholders. It is the first of its kind in the Gulf region and in the Middle East. It is a platform for an elite of global specialists and experts to exchange visions through a series of lectures and workshops aiming to arrive at the best solutions and procedures for preventing emergencies, dealing with emergencies, mitigating their effects and ensuring fast recovery.

Crisis and Emergency Management Conference Overview... Concept and Objectives

First and Second ConferencesCEMC 2008 & CEMC 2010

122012

The first conference, on March 3 and 4, 2008, was held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Leader of the Armed Forces. It brought together more than 300 specialists in emergency management.

Senior officials from 15 countries attended the two-day conference. They included ministers, consuls and representatives from the private and the public sectors from Saudi, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Canada and the US.

The conference, held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, shed light on various vital issues regarding emergency and crisis management.

HE Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi announced the conference in a press conference at the Emirates Palace on January 16, 2008. He said the CEMC aims to raise the level of crisis and emergency management in the UAE and the region. He praised Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s patronage of the event, which reflects the leadership’s keenness to ensure professional and skilful management of emergencies.

He explained that the conference proceedings would focus on seven major related issues, namely: preparedness for industrial and environmental emergencies, countering terrorism, cyber and technological security, telecommunications and media, development and construction projects, medicine and health.

He noted that speakers have been selected carefully to provide a wide array of expertise and opinions in the domain and to foster a spirit of cooperation and coordination among various nations in the region. Speakers are specialists in crisis and emergency management and the conference would present government agencies and other stakeholders in the Middle East with an opportunity to acquaint themselves with international expertise.

He added that the conference is a first of its kind in the Middle East and he stressed that readiness for crises requires strong cooperation and coordination between government entities and both the public and the private sectors as well as individuals. “We are confident that the CEMC would attract representatives from all local and regional organisations who would come to meet with their counterparts and to share their experiences and expertise. We have absolute confidence that the conference would engender a higher level of understanding and awareness in the region about the need for more information and knowledge in the area of crisis and emergency management,” he observed.

CEMC 2008

13

Al Romaithi pointed out that the accelerated economic growth in the Middle East and the important standing the UAE has acquired as an economic and tourist hub impose challenges and threats that can’t be ignored. Cross-border health hazards, terrorism, cyber crime, money laundering, human trafficking, drug trafficking and natural and environmental disasters are issues that all the countries of the world have to address and deal with.

To this effect, he noted, that many countries and governments in the world have developed comprehensive emergency management strategies. And he added: “We take great pride in the fact that the UAE was among the first countries in our region to take initiatives in this regard.”

He went on to say that responsiveness to the conference has been positive and encouraging as local, regional and international agencies, companies and individuals have expressed their interest in attending. He said the conference is one of NCEMA’s significant initiatives as it highlights some of the most vital issues that are directly linked to the wellbeing, safety and security of the peoples of the region and the world: preparedness for and efficient dealing with emergencies and crises.

Reactions

Participants praised the success of the event as it shed light on the best solutions for addressing emergencies and crises and showcased a series of rich experiences from around the world.

HE Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, Director General of NCEMA, noted that the event joined 370 participants from 15 countries and gave government and non-government organisations that were represented at the conference an opportunity to listen to various lectures from some 20 experts from all over the world.

He added that, in the coming period, NCEMA would be working closely with federal ministries and local agencies to implement emergency awareness programmes.

For his part, Major Mohammed Abdul Jalil Al Ansari, the field communication officer and member of the UN disaster assessment and coordination team, noted that the conference was an excellent initiative on the part of NCEMA, especially in light of geographic, environmental and regional variables. He stressed that the UAE government is aware of what goes around it and strives to provide the wellbeing of its citizens as well as to support other world countries. Major Al Ansari confirmed that each and every presentation was beneficial in

one way or another, as they allowed him to get acquainted with the experiences of other specialists in other parts of the world. He noted that he learned how to deal with rumours and engage the public during emergencies and the need to be aware of international capabilities available when asking for assistance.

Lieutenant Yussuf Ateeq Al Hamad from the Internal Security Forces in Qatar said he attended the conference to learn about new experiences and discoveries in crisis management. He pointed out that the information he gathered during the event would help him immensely in his line of work as he learned how to make use of other people’s experiences to avoid mistakes and he learned the importance of planning. In the end he praised the conference’s contribution to fostering regional coordination.

Dr. Assem Al Khalifa, the regional director of the Dutch institution “Waqf” confirmed that the conference was instrumental as it focused on terrorism and the role of governments in managing emergencies and it highlighted new technologies used in this domain. He also noted that the amount of information offered during the conference was great.

Craig Dennis, director of EmerGEO Solutions in Australia said the conference was excellent and it covered all the aspects of crisis management. He noted that the UAE presents a good setting for listening to the experiences of some lecturers from the region.

Tom Braun, a telecommunications specialist from Norway said the conference gave him an opportunity to learn about decision makers and experts in the sector of emergency management.

142012

The second edition of the conference was held on January 11, 12 and 13 in 2010 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

The conference was inaugurated by HH Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor and featured nearly 40 speakers who presented lectures and speeches and participated in workshops.

CEMC 2010 was held by NCEMA in cooperation with the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology, Dubai Customs, the Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority, and Health Authority-Abu Dhabi. It included a series of lectures and workshops and featured several new initiatives and bilateral agreements with various national authorities and agencies.

It focused on the importance of preparedness for emergencies and crises. Lecturers focused on several topics, namely peaceful uses of nuclear energy and assessing their potential risks, especially that the UAE is keen on nuclear safety. A few of the sessions were broadcast via satellite from the US.

The conference stressed the importance of joint coordination between NCEMA and other relevant agencies in order to develop future plans for managing emergencies and crises at nuclear power plants.

Speakers underlined potential political and security-related risks in the Middle East in 2010 and the structure of command and control during emergencies as well as the role of the telecommunications sector.

Experts discussed the H1N1 (Swine Flu) epidemic and ways to deal with it locally as well as the plans and strategies to limit its propagation.

HE Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, Director General of NCEMA said the second edition of the CEMC is being held in light of “critical regional and international circumstances that require us all to observe, discuss and learn lessons.” This is especially important in view of the global economic crisis and the wars, natural disasters and epidemics that are afflicting many parts of the world. “We have the momentous responsibility to develop plans and strategies to prevent or counter such crises and to deal with them in the future and to mitigate their effects on our communities,” he said.

In his keynote speech he noted that NCEMA’s efforts aim to protect the citizens and residents of the UAE against emergencies and to preserve the many achievements of the state… “For this reason, we organised this conference, which hosts an elite of emergency management specialists, to benefit from their experiences and ideas which we would use to build

CEMC 2010

15

NCEMA’s programmes and strategies… We are grateful that NCEMA, in cooperation with relevant authorities, was able to successfully address the latest epidemic to hit the world recently. This is what we strive for: success in dealing with any emergency.”

In a press conference at the end of the first day of the conference, HE Al Romaithi pointed out that NCEMA has completed the federal law on emergency and crisis management. A team of legal consultants drafted the law based on experiences of sisterly and friendly nations, taking into account the particularities of the UAE community. “No experience, no matter how successful, would be cloned. The law will be processed in a few days through official channels in preparation for its official issuance. It responds to all requirements and sets the roles and responsibilities of all parties at the local and the federal levels. It guarantees the rights of all relevant agencies and it will be a valuable reference for all.”

As for the establishment of a Gulf centre for emergencies and crises, Al Romaithi said that at the moment, GCC countries are focusing on establishing each their own emergency centre. Once this is achieved, it would be easy to establish a unified centre to coordinate efforts and counter crises.

He went on to say that NCEMA has set out to achieve important tasks that would be addressed per order of priority during 2010. These include electronic networking with all federal authorities to facilitate coordination and cooperation. He observed that NCEMA has conducted several drills and plans for staging additional emergency drills in the future.

He spoke of the various phases of emergency management: prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

He said NCEMA has accomplished a lot during a short time due to cooperation and team efforts. He highlighted its success in dealing with the swine flu epidemic, which included coordination with the Ministry of Health and other health ministries in the region to provide vaccines and raise awareness. The UAE was among the top five nations to provide over one million doses of the vaccine.

Al Romaithi confirmed that the UAE is keen to ensure safety and security and to be prepared for any emergency. In a statement on the sidelines of the second day of the conference he said as per the directives of the leadership, the UAE is developing strategic plans and providing early warning systems to prevent crises and mitigate their effects.

He noted that the nation is focusing on safety and security measures in nuclear facilities, which began at the early stages of planning. In this context, NCEMA held a workshop during CEMC 2010 on nuclear energy and underlined the joint cooperation that exists with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and

the Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority to develop future plans for emergency management in nuclear facilities.

The workshop featured a number of global experts in nuclear facilities safety that presented ideas about ways to secure such facilities and avoid another Chernobyl.

Recommendations

At the conclusion of its sessions, the conference highlighted the importance of preparedness at the governmental level in order to ensure business continuity during emergencies and in all circumstances. The conference issued recommendations regarding the need to be prepared for emergencies and crises in order to limit risks and mitigate their effects. It also recommended the need to support national volunteering programmes to respond to emergencies and the importance of creating a website dedicated to exchange of ideas and experiences among specialists and concerned bodies.

The conference stressed the need for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) that can play an instrumental role during emergencies. It emphasised the need for all UAE ports to analyse and assess risks and threats in cooperation with relevant agencies.

Initiatives and Agreements

The UAE National Emergency Response Volunteer Programme “SANID” was launched on the sidelines of the inaugural day of the CEMC 2010 during a ceremony at the Emirates Palace.

The programme is the outcome of a partnership between NCEMA and TAKATOF programme for social volunteering. The initiative was created as per the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. It aims to train volunteers from various parts of the country to respond to emergencies and crises at the local and the national levels.

The last day of the conference witnessed the launching of the national emergency plan for the telecommunications sector. The plan was developed by the Telecommunications Regulation Authority and NCEMA. It ensures the protection of the telecommunications network and its efficiency, especially during crises and emergencies.

Also during the conference, NCEMA signed three memoranda of understanding with the Department of Municipal Affairs in Abu Dhabi, the National Media Council and Al Thuraya Telecom Company.

Third CEMC Conference - 2012

182012

19

Participants

CEMC 2012 was organised in partnership with:

• The Ministry of Presidential Affairs

• The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority

• The General Command of the Armed Forces

• The Secretariat General of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi

Sponsors

• Gold sponsor: Lockheed Martin

• Silver sponsor: Booz Allen Hamilton

182012

19

CEMC 12- Press Conference

NCEMA held a press conference on 11 January 2012 at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi to announce the programme and schedule of the Crisis and Emergency Conference 2012.

The press conference was moderated by Dr. Jamal Al Hossani, Director of Technology and Communications Department and NCEMA spokesperson as well as Ali Rashid Al Niyadi, the Director of Operations Department at NCEMA.

Dr. Jamal Al Hossani

Dr. Al Hossani noted that CEMC 2012 was the third edition of the conference to be held in Abu Dhabi following the success of the previous two conferences in 2008 and 2010 respectively.

He confirmed NCEMA’s keenness to hold the conference on a regular basis driven by its awareness of the need to develop emergency management concepts and consolidate the comprehensive and integrated response culture to counter hazards that threaten the safety of citizens and residents. He highlighted that NCEMA adopts state-of-the-art technologies and the latest methods and tools for countering and managing crises based on international experiences as it tries to exploit all available resources in its quest to save lives and protect property.

Dr. Al Hossani concluded by expressing his gratitude, on behalf of NCEMA’s Director General HE Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, to the authority’s partners: the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, the General Command of the Armed Forces and the Secretariat General of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi. He also thanked INEGMA, the leading organiser of high-level conferences in the UAE as well as the conference’s sponsors.

Mr. Ali Al Niyadi

For his part, Al Niyadi talked about the topics and issues that shall be discussed during the conference. They include four essential topics: response… lessons learned, resilience, main challenges and the information environment. He noted that these topics will be addressed by international specialists and experts.

He added that participants will discuss many issues related to emergency management procedures and solutions. The conference will also include specialised workshops.

He pointed out that strategic visions and planning for recovery will be among the main topics to be tackled during the sessions in addition to measuring capabilities and community resilience to disasters and the role of social media in emergency management.

He noted that the first session shall focus on measuring success in coordinating relief operations and humanitarian assistance missions as well as the latest lessons learned in managing natural disasters and the response to floods in Australia in 2011.

The second session, he explained, would focus on resilience and main challenges. It shall highlight the national telecommunications emergency plan and the social systems and their resilience to disasters. The session shall also touch on the mechanisms to measure the efficiency of response plans.

Al Niyadi said the inaugural day of CEMC 2012 shall include two workshops and two plenary sessions on managing coordination and cooperation during crises and the information environment.

202012

21

Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi, the third edition of the Crisis and Emergency Management Conference 2012 was inaugurated on January 16, 2012.

HE Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, Director General of NCEMA delivered the keynote speech. Other speakers included HE Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary General of the GCC, Brigadier General Reda Al Btoush, Deputy Chairman of the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management in Jordan, on behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Ali bin Al Hussain, Chairman of the centre, and Mr. Ali Rashid Al Niyadi, Director of the Operations Department at NCEMA.

HE Saif Sultan Al Ariyani, the Secretary General of the Supreme Council for National Security attended the inaugural session along with a number of senior civilian and military officials and elite specialists from various local, regional and international organisations.

HE Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi

HE, the Director General of NCEMA Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, delivered the keynote speech at the inaugural session in which he said: “Since the foundation of the United Arab Emirates under the leadership of late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, our wise leadership has adopted a humanitarian and peaceful approach to the various and numerous issues and crises facing people, irrespective of their religion, race or nationality. Sheikh Zayed’s successor is following in the footsteps of his father in his keenness to respond to crises and hazards threatening people anywhere in the world. We are proud that the UAE has been a leading provider of relief and assistance to peoples and nations ravaged by

natural or human-induced disasters.”

“With the continuous support and follow up of HH Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor and Chairman of NCEMA, we strive to fulfil our role in consolidating the concepts and the culture of response to emergencies. To that end we coordinate and cooperate with various national and international stakeholders in order to develop emergency management skills and we foster all available national capabilities and resources that help us in protecting the nation and its achievements.”

“This conference is held at a time when the world is facing significant developments that could pave the way to a new era. We hope to be able to serve our country and our countrymen,” he added.

HE Al Romaithi further expressed hope that this international scientific conference would become a regular event and would be an open platform for exchange of related information, expertise and programmes. He noted that this would help immensely in the development of plans and strategies aimed at protecting lives and assets and achieving sustainable development.

He pointed out that “the threat of the crisis or the ‘critical moment’ lies not in the crisis itself but rather in the element of surprise, which, if left inadequately addressed, could result in a cataclysm.”

NCEMA’s Director General recommended high-potential and initiative-driven approaches to emergency management and unconventional response procedures under time constraints, whilst maintaining accuracy and skilful implementation of pre-developed plans to ensure successful response to every emergency. He went on to emphasise the importance of minimising casualties during emergencies and ensuring damage control and fast recovery.

“Crisis and emergency management is based on an integrated process. The process starts by identifying potential risks and calculating their likelihood and preparing and developing plans accordingly. Emergency management is also based on the study and analysis of risks. In order to scientifically manage emergencies, it is imperative to identify their indicators and implications. This allows for adequate preparation and prevention measures to stop emergencies from occurring or to mitigate their effects, he explained. “The subsequent stages are also of great significance. Damage needs to be contained and stopped from aggravating. To this end, all efforts must be deployed to ensure business continuity especially in critical national organisations,” he added.

He went on to say that past experiences and historical events have proven that nations and communities that resorted to forward-thinking and planning and exploited available resources and technologies to prepare for potential risks were more resilient to emergencies. Without these elements, emergencies would be uncontrollable and would be let to take their own course.

Inaugural Session

202012

21

Al Romaithi further said the title of this third edition of the conference “Preparing for Future Challenges” was chosen “based on our awareness that we are not alone in the world; we are an active part of the world. We are, all of us, influenced by events and we endeavour as much as possible to establish a risk-free world, a peaceful and stable world that enjoys sustainable development.”

He asserted that precaution alone doesn’t prevent crises and disasters from happening. Effective prevention requires concerted efforts at every level in order to reduce the likelihood of emergencies occurring and to prepare for adequate response should they occur.

He urged attendees to come up with optimal crisis and emergency management solutions that ensure successful response efforts. The causes of emergencies and crises are scrutinised to allow for successful prevention and adequate response. He expressed hope that the conference would come up with recommendations and proposals for innovative solutions for various types of risks and threats.

Dr. Abdul Latif Al Zayani

The Secretary General of the GCC Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani delivered a speech in which he underlined the GCC’s comprehensive vision which focuses on realising prosperity, creating opportunities for the realisation of personal aspirations, establishing social programmes that ensure equal opportunities in education, health and social services, creating a safe environment and achieving political stability.

He went on to say that the GCC priorities consist of five key strategic goals:

Protecting GCC member states against threats and hazards resulting from external aggressions, terrorism, organised crime, vandalism, etc.

Achieving sustainable economic development. Member states have been active in developing a number of joint integrated projects such as the unified Gulf market, the GCC unified customs, the GCC monetary union, the GCC railroad network, the GCC power grid and other vital and strategic projects

Developing human resources and fostering the abilities and skills of Gulf citizens, responding to their aspirations and fulfilling their needs. GCC states seek to encourage modern education, especially in the fields of technology and science, to avail job opportunities for youths in particular and to maintain innovation, one of the main pillars of prosperity.

Providing awareness about risk and crisis management. GCC states take this matter quite seriously. Recently they began operating a common emergency management centre and are considering plans to establish a nuclear radiation detection centre in the near future.

Strengthening the GCC’s international stature and position. GCC states are keen to contribute as much as possible to response efforts for international challenges. They endeavour to provide humanitarian assistance to countries and peoples in need.

Brigadier General Dr. Reda Al Btoush

Brigadier General Dr. Reda Al Btoush, Deputy Chairman of the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management in Jordan made a presentation on behalf of HRH Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, NCSCM’s Chairman, entitled “The National Centre for Security and Crisis Management… Vision and Aspirations.” It focused on the centre’s history, achievements and role.

Mr. Ali Rashid Al Niyadi

Mr. Ali Rashid Al Niyadi, the Director of the Operations Department at NCEMA made a presentation about NCEMA’s progress since its foundation. He underlined the steps that led to its establishment and the achievements it has made over the past few years. He discussed the authority’s preparations to respond to emergencies or crises and the coordination efforts it undertakes among the UAE emirates in terms of emergency and crisis management.

Inaugural Session

222012

23

The second plenary session on the first day of the conference, entitled “Resilience and Key Challenges”, was moderated by NCEMA consultant Ms. Fiona McKersie.

HE Mohammed Nasser Al Ghanem

HE Mohammed Nasser Al Ghanem, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority delivered a lecture on the National Emergency Plan for the Telecommunications sector.

Dr. Sami Al Faraj

For his part, Dr. Sami Al Faraj, President of the Kuwait Centre for Strategic Studies discussed “Measuring Community Systems Resilience and Ability to Withstand Disasters.”

Colonel Philippe Nardin

The session featured a lecture by Colonel Philippe Nardin, Head of the International Relations Mission at the Civil Protection Directorate, Civil Defence and Public Safety Directorate, France. His lecture focused on “Mechanisms to Measure the Effectiveness of Emergency Response Plans.” He also spoke about the everyday risks and natural disasters and well as pollution hazards, health risks and other relevant threats.

First Plenary Session

Following the inaugural session, the first plenary session was held. It was moderated by HE Major General Humaid Mohammed Al Hudaidi, General Commander of Sharjah Police. The session was entitled “Responding to Crises… Lessons Learned.”

Mr. Rashid Khalikov

The Director of the UN Office for Coordination of Human Affairs Mr. Rashid Khalikov spoke about ways to measure success in coordinating relief and humanitarian assistance operations and the latest lessons

learned in this domain. He said: “Droughts are inevitable, but they can be predicted through state-of-the-art early warning systems that help in preventing droughts from developing into famines.”

“Optimisation of funding can be further enhanced if a comprehensive set of priorities was agreed upon at an early stage among humanitarian and development organisations,” he added.

Major General Salem bin Musallam Ali Katan

The Assistant Inspector General of Police and Customs and Deputy Chairman of the National Committee

Second Plenary Session

for Civil Defence in the Sultanate of Oman Major General Salem bin Musallam Ali Katan made a presentation entitled “Managing Natural Disasters… Challenges and Lessons Learned.”

Mr. Jim McGowan

In his presentation, Mr. Jim McGowan, Director General of the Department of Community Safety in the Queensland Government, Australia focused on ways to respond to an escalating crisis and the lessons learned from Australia’s response to floods in 2001.

He emphasised the need for preparation and planning and the importance of community education in terms of risks, resilience, adaptation and recovery.

He said risk assessments require detailed information and responses must be planned. He stressed that the traditional approach to emergency management is no longer sufficient as planning requires the capability to respond to unpredictable events. He further confirmed that adequate preparedness means recognising that no two emergencies are alike and each case may include unforeseen particularities.

222012

23

Dr. Abdul Aziz Yussuf Hamza

The second day of the conference resumed with a keynote speech delivered by Dr. Abdul Aziz Yussuf Hamza, Chairman of the GCC Emergency Management Centre. He discussed the role of the centre, which aims to protect and safeguard the achievements of the

GCC states. He expressed hope that the centre would contribute to eliminating the gap between GCC countries and other nations in the areas of emergency, crisis and disaster management in order to provide the security of GCC citizens, safeguard the region’s wealth and assets and maintain the principles of love, tolerance, peace and anti-fanaticism that GCC leaders focus on.

Dr. Hamza emphasised the importance of developing plans to address challenges that face the region’s countries, namely the Arab-Israeli conflict, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the conflict to control vital waterways, the scarcity of food and water, technological war, etc.

He noted that the greater challenge countries of the region have to address is the protection and safeguarding of the achievements they made over the past decades, which placed them amongst the ranks of developed nations and qualified them to perform a significant role in changing the stereotype concepts the world has about Arabs and Muslims.

The first plenary session on the second day of the conference underlined the importance of crisis management coordination and cooperation.

Mr. Amjad Abashar

Mr. Amjad Abashar, Head of the Regional Office for Arab States, UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, examined the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters.

He confirmed that disaster risk reduction aims at containing the damage caused by natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, droughts and cyclones, through prevention. He then added that disasters caused by vulnerability to natural hazards lead to more fatalities in developing countries than in developed countries. Disaster-related economic losses, measured against a country’s wealth, are much greater in poor countries.

Mr. Kyung-Soo Han

Mr. Kyung-Soo Han, Vice President and Head of the Emergency Management Office at Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power made a presentation entitled: “Crisis Management of Korea’s Power Plants”. He discussed the various types of emergencies, crises and disasters and the emergency response system as well as the post-Fukushima nuclear security crisis and Korea’s efforts to enhance nuclear security.

He pointed out that the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit will be held on March 27&27 and will be attended by some 200 senior level participants. The Seoul summit will examine the role of nuclear industry in enhancing nuclear security and safety, and

Third Plenary Session

the international cooperation to strengthen nuclear information security.

Han spoke about the latest methods adopted in his country to secure nuclear facilities. He presented an analysis of the changes in emergency management systems in general, especially in terms of securing nuclear facilities. His presentation distinguished between pre- and post- September 11, 2001 systems of operation.

He presented a three-phase model for securing nuclear facilities. It includes a single outer wall surrounding the site, followed by inner double-walls to protect the main area and finally, in the third phase, another double-layer of walls to secure scientific facilities.

Han recommended that governments adopt integrated methods of protection that take into account time constraints and safety. He stressed the need for more effective plans for the protection of nuclear facilities and improved decision-making processes and, most importantly, cooperation among various relevant agencies.

He emphasised the importance of solid alternative security plans that could be activated immediately when an issue or a security breach has been detected at any nuclear facility.

He noted that the two main lessons learned from the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan were: slow decision-making and faulty design. Any future threat to the designs would lead to the same outcome.

Mr. Ahmed Awad Al Kathiri

Mr. Ahmed Awad Al Kathiri, Head of the Prevention Sector at NCEMA delivered a lecture on “The Role of Numerical Models in predicting Natural and Nuclear Disasters.”

He explained that the global community is disbursing staggering amounts of money and exerting tremendous efforts towards increasing global awareness in terms of preparedness.

He went on to say the objective of the numerical models in emergency management is to shed light on the positive vital effects through constant monitoring.

Captain Ramiro Galvez

Captain Ramiro Galvez, Station Chief at Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, Virginia, USA, discussed the effective search and rescue processes in populated areas where interoperable GIS technology can be of great use. “Search and Rescue is the process of locating, extricating and providing initial treatment for victims trapped as a result of structural collapses or other natural, accidental or man-induced disasters,” he said. “One of the remaining challenges is the use of a standard terminology to define searches in populated areas following devastating disasters and the use of technological equipment to collect, compare and share information received by SAR teams,” he added.

242012

25

Mr. Khalid Khalifa

The second plenary session focused on information environment. Mr. Khalid Khalifa, Head of the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Gulf Region discussed the role of information in the current work environment.

He pointed out that humanitarian assistance actors need to share information in order to avoid duplication of efforts, enhance the effectiveness of information flow among humanitarian agents and improve humanitarian response in general. “There is a need to institutionalise information sharing within the humanitarian response system. This wouldn’t be effective without regional and global recognition of information management as a key component in humanitarian assistance operations,” he observed.

Mr. Hashem Mohammed Al Hashemi

Mr. Hashem Mohammed Al Hashemi, Head of the GIS section at NCEMA talked about “UAE’s NSDI and its Applications in Emergency and Disaster Management.” He said NCEMA’s mission is to enhance the UAE’s capabilities to manage crises in a way that saves lives and protects property whilst ensuring business continuity and fast recovery through joint preparedness and planning.

Tim Godwin

Finally, Tim Godwin, Deputy Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police delivered a speech about the evolving role of social media in emergency management. He spoke about the most significant turmoil events during one generation as well as some of the most serious riots and security issues that took place in London. He said: “Using social media can help Police in providing intelligence, facilitating investigation work and allowing for stronger involvement.”

The first day of the conference included a workshop entitled “From Hurricane Katrina to Deep Water Horizon: Consolidating Efforts to Manage Disasters”. It was presented by Admiral (Ret.) Thad Allen, former commander of the US Coast Guard.

The devastating Hurricane Katrina that hit the Gulf of Mexico and the states of Louisiana and Mississippi in the USA in August 2005 killed and displaced thousands. Its 225 km/hour winds created a nine-metre wave barrage that flooded vast expanses of coastal areas and trapped residents who had to resort to their rooftops to escape drowning. Authorities moved tens of thousands of devastated victims to emergency shelters whereas tens of thousands of homes and offices were completely destroyed.

Katrina was the sixth worst hurricane to hit the state of Florida in the USA in one year. In addition to billions of dollars of material losses, the hurricane and its repercussions created a fuel crisis throughout the country. Meanwhile, the massive explosion in the oil rig off the Gulf of Mexico led to a colossal environmental disaster. The disaster spread to a number of states causing a series of secondary natural disasters.

The second workshop discussed “Facilitating Business Continuity Planning through Public-Private Sector Cooperation”. It was set up by Mr. Alan Berman, President of the Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI International), USA.

The workshop included a detailed explanation of the components of a business continuity system, which requires a documented plan that includes a number of documents, instructions and procedures that allow for adequate response to emergencies or threats without any interruption to the key functions at key sectors throughout the country.

Mr. Berman underlined the importance of bolstering private-public sector cooperation and coordination to ensure successful response to all emergencies.

Fourth Plenary Session

The First Workshop

The Second Workshop

Workshops

242012

25

Final Session and Recommendations

The final session of the CEMC 2012 was held at the end of the second plenary session on the second day. The conference issued the following recommendations:

• Establishing a unified Gulf system to manage emergencies and crises, develop unified training strategies and plans, organise joint trainings and standardised training using similar tools and methods and to ensure exchange of expertise in the field of emergency management.

• Organising ongoing educational and training programmes pertaining to emergency management for leaders in order to enhance their skills and empower them to have clearer vision of the tasks entrusted to them, and developing guidelines to face emergencies and a mechanism for the identification of roles and responsibilities during emergencies.

• The need to involve CSOs, NGOs and educational institutions in all strategies and plans related to emergency response. The need to promote volunteerism in the community in situations of emergency. The need to launch awareness and educational programmes for all members of the community to prepare them for emergency response and encourage volunteer action, which would facilitate the tasks of emergency response agencies.

• The need to deal with members of the community in a spirit of full transparency and honesty in order to limit the negative effects of emergencies through proper and effective emergency management.

• Including people with special needs in all strategies and plans related to emergency response and ensuring their safety and security.

• Using state-of-the-art technology in all stages of the emergency response and ensuring all available resources to address risks, including geographic information systems (GIS).

• Holding similar annual specialised conferences to broadly discuss relevant topics.

At the conclusion of the conference, participants expressed their gratitude and appreciation to HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and to HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Prsident, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and to HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces for their continued support of the conference.

Participants also thanked HH Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor, for his sponsorship and follow up.

For its part, NCEMA thanked all participants for their efforts that culminated in a successful event and invited them to the fourth edition of the CEMC in February 2014.

INTERVIEWS• HEDr.AbdulLatifBinRashidAlZayani The Secretary General of the GCC

• Dr.AbdulAzizYusufHamza Chairman of the GCC Emergency Management Centre

• MajorGeneralSalembinMusallamKatan Assistant Inspector General of Oman Police and Customs

• HEMohammedNasserAlGhanem Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority In the United Arab Emirates

• Mr.KhaledKhalifa The Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA ) in the Gulf

29

HE Dr. Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al ZayaniThe Secretary General of the GCC

302012

HE Dr. Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary General of the GCC praised the CEMC initiative in Abu Dhabi. He also called on NCEMA to further boost its interest in organising such periodic conferences and to widen their scope.

In an exclusive interview for NCEMA’s magazine ”Taware’e wa Azamat”, he declared that such conferences help increase awareness, enhance the capacities of workers in this field and increase their knowledge. He further stressed the importance of documenting all standpoints and suggestions during such conferences and establishing a suitable mechanism in order to put them to good use.

Dr. Al Zayani argued that the GCC countries are mainly threatened, among other things, by environmental and natural risks due to the risk of oil-polluted Gulf water, in addition to the risk of nuclear radiation leak and natural disasters caused by rising seawater levels, relentless heavy rains or strong winds…He went on to say that all these risks require strategic plans to respond to them and mitigate their impacts, through joint Gulf coordination and cooperation.

Dr. Al Zayani called on the GCC countries to showcase interest in joint coordination among crisis management systems and in information exchange, and to establish joint Gulf operations rooms engaged in hazard monitoring and follow up and in making recommendations and suggestions about possible or potential crises within the framework of a pre-emptive policy.

Below are the interview details:

In light of your participation in the third edition of CEMC in the UAE, how do you assess the Emirati initiative?The CEMC initiative by NCEMA is by all odds a reflection of the UAE’s interest in ensuring the safety of all GCC countries. I would like to take this opportunity to praise the vital and constructive efforts deployed by NCEMA in this field, and I would like to call upon NCEMA to boost interest in this field and broaden its scope.

How do you evaluate the role of international and regional conferences? And how can such conferences achieve the desired goal?International and regional risk and crisis management conferences are of great significance. Therefore, it is necessary to intensify, and show interest in them, mostly because they help boost awareness, enhance the capacities of workers in this field and increase their knowledge. With this in mind, the competent authorities in the GCC countries must seek to organise similar conferences on periodic basis and to invite the best experts and specialists in several fields related to disasters and risks. They are also to properly document and study the different standpoints and suggestions, and establish a suitable mechanism so as to put them to good use

Regardless of the particularities in each country, in your opinion, what is the nature of the general risks threatening all the GCC countries?There are many risks threatening the GCC countries, mostly at the environmental level. As the GCC countries are situated in an oil and gas-rich region, we face the risk of Gulf water pollution by oil, whether from the carriers navigating the Arab Gulf or from the sea oil fields.Besides, we face the risk of nuclear radiation leakage while the region countries are turning to nuclear power for pacific purposes. Furthermore, the fast-growing economic growth, the urban development, and the expanding industrial zones might give rise to emergencies or disasters that could cause huge loss of lives and property, in addition to the natural disasters that might result from rising seawater level, heavy rains or strong winds…All these risks require strategic plans in order to respond to them and mitigate their devastating impacts on people, property and the environment, through joint coordination and cooperation among Gulf States.

What are the pre-emptive measures to be taken by the GCC States to prevent such risks and their impacts?The general safety of GCC States may be achieved by enhancing their resilience to different natural disasters, emergencies and crises. This is one of the key strategic goals the Secretariat

Special interview with “Taware’e wa Azamat” magazine

The Secretary General of the GCC

… calls for the approval of a preemptive policy:

• TheorganisationoftheCrisisandEmergencyManagementConference(CEMC)reflectstheUAE’sinterestin ensuring the safety of GCC communities

• TheGCCcountriesshouldshowinterestincoordinationamongcrisismanagementsystemsandinformation exchange, and establish joint Gulf operations rooms

• ThegeneralrisksthreateningtheGCCcountriesaremostlyenvironmentalandnatural.Jointstrategicplansare required to face them.

31

General seeks to achieve, through numerous programmes, plans and projects.I believe the GCC States should be interested in the joint coordination among crisis management systems and information exchange. They must also establish joint Gulf operation rooms engaged in hazard monitoring and follow up, and make recommendations and suggestions about possible or potential crises within the framework of a pre-emptive policy.GCC States must attach great importance to the development of civil defence systems, enhancement of their effectiveness, and their prompt performance, as well as to the widening of the fields of joint cooperation and coordination among them.They should also pay careful attention to the enhancement of cooperation with Arab and international relief organisations, and to the development of awareness programs and means of joint planning.

Everyone agrees on the importance of establishing a Gulf emergency and crisis management centre. What has become of this project?The GCC Emergency Management Centre is a vital project to support the efforts of the GCC countries in achieving general safety and enhancing their resilience to emergencies, and natural and human-induced disasters. The project is progressing just as planned after approval by the Ministerial Council of the Centre’s Articles of Association in December. The chairman of the Centre will soon undertake his administrative responsibilities. We strongly rely on this centre to achieve joint Gulf coordination in this field.

Where will the headquarters of the Centre be located? Who will be its chairman?The headquarters of the Centre will be located in Kuwait. The directors and managers asserted their keenness to provide necessary support, and to provide the required facilities to allow for optimal performance at the centre. Dr. Abdul Aziz Bin Yussuf Hamza was appointed chairman of the centre, as he has excellent skills and long-term experience in this field. We wish him the best of luck and success in the management of the centre’s affairs in a way that meets our expectations.

How do you assess the role of the centre? What tasks will it perform? The centre will play a key role in coordinating the efforts of the GCC States in the field of emergency management whether internally or in terms of cooperation with regional and international competent organisations and authorities.The centre will engage in handling all emergencies that threaten people, property and environment. It will also undertake various vital and essential tasks; including developing the necessary

plans, programmes and strategies to respond to, and manage, different kinds of disasters; identifying and assessing natural and non-natural hazards in the GCC countries, in coordination with the member states, and suggesting suitable solutions to prevent emergencies and reduce their effects.The centre will be also in charge of establishing the necessary policies and procedures for the conduct of relief action among the GCC countries, preparing manuals on establishing emergency management plans, programmes and projects and providing technical support, guide services and any other form of support.In addition, the centre will set up databases, standardise the technical specifications of the necessary emergency control equipment, coordinate cooperation with regional and international organisations, spread cognitive awareness among citizens, and develop qualification and training programmes for the staff.To put it simply, the centre’s role will be vital.

How will the centre be funded?Once the centre’s board of directors determines the estimated operating budget and submits it to the Ministerial Council for approval, GCC States shall provide funding for the centre.

In your opinion, what will the relation between the centre and similar international organisations look like?There will be a cooperative relation on higher levels and in various fields, especially as the international organisations specialised in this field have extensive experience, as well as advanced scientific, technical and human capacities that we are to capitalise on, mainly in the field of monitoring, prevention and relief. These organisations include the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, (UNRWA) in addition to other organisations and authorities specialised in this field.

33

Dr. Abdul Aziz Yusuf HamzaChairman of the GCC Emergency Management Centre

342012

Dr. Abdul Aziz Yusuf Hamza, Chairman of the GCC Emergency Management Centre said the centre will operate from Kuwait once administrative matters are completed. He called on all stakeholders to sit together and look into ways to cooperate and coordinate before emergencies occur.

In an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the third CEMC he noted that each GCC member states has its particularities and is prone to specific sets of risks, but there is one thing in common between all of them: all water desalination plants are located on the Gulf. Should an emergency occur, God forbid, most of them would be impacted.

Hamza praised the Emirati experience, capabilities and system in managing emergencies and crises. He also praised Emirati “highly educated and well-informed” youth.

He observed that the GCC states are trying to narrow the gap that separates them from European and Western states in terms of scientific and artistic advancement and, for this reason, they are trying to rely on their own peoples.

At what stage is the project to establish a GCC emergency and crisis management centre, which was launched in 2007? And what can you tell us about the centre?

The project to establish a GCC Emergency Management Centre was approved last December. It will be based in Kuwait and shall be chaired by myself (Dr. Abdul Aziz Yusuf Hamza from Bahrain).

Of course there are preliminary organisational and legal matters to be finalised and the centre will begin its operations once all administrative matters are completed. Funding shall be provided collectively by GCC member states and the centre’s mission will be to coordinate between all member states.

What are the greatest risks to the GCC states in your opinion?

If we were to exclude natural disasters, we are left with manmade disasters, which are many to threaten security in the Gulf, namely the continued occupation of the three Emirati islands, the Israeli-Palestinian issue, the Israeli-Iranian issue, the US-Iranian issue and nuclear reactors in Israel, Iran and Pakistan. All of these issues affect us in one way or another.

The media too is a challenge for us in addition to what we call the “water war”. Most Gulf States suffer from scarcity of natural water sources and most of the desalination plants are located on the Gulf, mainly in Kuwait, Bahrain, east Saudi, Qatar and the UAE. Should any hazard hit the area, God forbid, most of these plants would be impacted.

We also have to worry about epidemics and pandemics such as swine flu.

Political stability and security also affect the general stability in the region.

Planning for the post-oil era is a priority for GCC States as well on top of other issues of demographic fluctuation, the elevated numbers of expatriates and building human capabilities in the Gulf.

These are all common challenges in our area and they can all impact our well being especially that our countries are among the richest in the world and all eyes are constantly upon us.

Do you think that each of the GCC states has its particular set of hazards or are hazards common to all states?

Each of the Gulf States has its particular set of risks and hazards, but there are also common risks. Crises in one state could affect all the other states in the GCC. For instance, Saudi is prone to specific problems during the Hajj seasons with the sharp increase in population in addition to hazards of floods, rainfall and epidemics. All sorts of hazards exist and they can threaten the entire region.

What steps are the GCC States taking to prevent risks or to mitigate their effects?

As you know, Gulf Sates are relatively new and most developments that occurred came after the discovery of oil. The fast transformation in the Gulf States from agriculture and pearl-diving communities to advanced states happened in a short period of time. We are trying to narrow the distance between European and Western states and us in terms of sciences and arts. For this reason, Gulf States are banking on their citizens and providing healthcare and prime education in universities and higher education establishments. Each of the member states has its own set of plans and strategies but they are ultimately all working towards one common vision.

He praised the UAE’s experience in managing emergencies and crises

Chairman of the GCC Emergency Management Centre:

• TheUAEboastshighlyeducatedandwell-informedyouth

• EachGulfstatehasitsparticularitiesbuttheyallhaveonethingincommon

• Thecentre’sheadquarterswillbeinKuwaitanditshallstartitsoperationsonceadministrativemattersare completed

35

What are you views on the National Information Centre in the UAE?

These centres exist in all GCC States and they operate as per the national plans and strategies in each state. A unified Gulf centre would function as an information bank for all GCC States, drawing its data from centres such as the Emirati national information centre. Hence, the unified Gulf centre would be instrumental in ensuring the safety and security of all GCC States.

How do you evaluate the Emirates’ experience in emergency management through NCEMA?

In all honesty, I admire the Emirati experience, in terms of the system and the capabilities available. I also admire Emirati youth. They have some of the most educated and well-informed young generation in our region. They have a love for achievement and grand ambitions. And they work. This has been noticeable in the past two years. They work in a way that evokes reassurance and we are proud that such a level of action and organisation exists in a GCC State.

What is the benefit of conferences such as the CEMC?

These conferences shed light on the agencies that are responsible for managing emergencies and crises. These are the fundamental agencies and bodies, but at the same time, everyone is responsible.

The importance of NCEMA’s conference lies in the fact that it brings together experts from all over the world to share their expertise and visions and to exchange knowledge and look for shortcomings in order to address them.

Such conferences highlight the need for cooperation and coordination among all stakeholders in emergencies. It is highly imperative that all stakeholders sit together and establish coordination and cooperation frameworks before emergencies hit. This is the basis for any prevention effort.

37

Major General Salem bin Musallam KatanAssistant Inspector General of Oman Police and Customs

382012

Major General Salem bin Musallam Katan, Assistant Inspector General of Oman Police and Customs said early preparation for emergencies, and preparing the country, residents and facilities to respond to natural disasters will greatly help mitigate their impact. He that the UAE has a pivotal role in the region with regard to enforcing emergency, crisis and disaster management procedures.

In an exclusive interview for “Taware’e wa Azamat” magazine, Maj. Gen. Salem bin Musallam noted that what is between UAE and the Sultanate of Oman has gone beyond coordination to joint action. “We cannot really call it coordination… It is joint action, we do joint exercises and our work is continuing”, he said.

He said the climate is changing and natural disasters unfortunately affect development and people’s ambitions in many countries. He noted that Oman handles disasters better, than before when these were shocking events.

How do you assess this conference?

It is a very important conference. As you know, the climate is now changing, and consequently natural disasters affect factors of development in many countries. People’s ambitions are also affected, as a natural disaster can destroy what people have built in years. And so preparing the country, residents and facilities for such natural disasters will greatly help mitigate the consequences. The brothers in the UAE must be thanked for holding this significant conference, which mirrors their sense of responsibility towards issues relevant to the UAE, the other GCC States and the region at large. We thank them for that.

How do you see the formation of a GCC body for emergency and crisis management?

It is a very timely initiative. Under the circumstances, cooperation is a must. Hopefully, the crisis management joint body will achieve the strategic goals set at the GCC, building on the experience some member states already have in that field.

The UAE is of one of the main countries in the region that resorts to emergency and disaster management. How would you describe this role?

The UAE plays a major role in the region, indeed. It has great interest in this kind of conferences; it trains rescue teams;

and it establishes cooperation with regional and international organisations active in natural disaster management. The UAE has come a long way in efforts towards building a comprehensive system to handle and mitigate natural disasters.

What are the major steps taken by the Sultanate of Oman in terms of crisis preparedness and emergency response? What are the futures plans in this regard?

What sets the Sultanate of Oman apart is that it has faced, and as a result learnt on practical grounds from, difficult natural events. As such, many things have changed in the country, the infrastructure, the facilities, the roads, the bridges, the residential areas, the valleys and the areas that are often affected by cyclones and adverse weather conditions, are now better equipped to face emergencies. We went through cyclones and a tropical storm and yet things are almost normal now, and emergencies are now handled in a better; they no longer come as a big shock, as they did before. Now we are in a better position to respond to such events, be it on the side of Emiratis, expatriates or crisis management agencies.

How about prevention, the pre-disaster steps?

More crucial than “pre-disaster” is to have an integrated action plan; the public opinion has a significant role, and it is necessary to prepare it to accept what is going to happen; the areas of relief, particularly supplies and bodies in charge of repairing things after the disaster, should be in place. Our experience has been rich and very useful, and now we are in a position where we are capable of handling natural emergencies more efficiently, which was not the case in the past. Take food supplies for example. While in some countries, these are available in a few major cities, all governorates of Oman have food supplies, stored in places where they can easily be accessible during emergencies.

How to you evaluate the risks faced by the Sultanate?

Most risks are expected during the period of May to July in the form of depressions and heavy rains or tropical storms or hurricanes. Areas that are immediately affected are given priority. The government is taking necessary measures to protect the area, in view of reducing the impact of any such phenomenon should it occur.

The UAE has a major role in the region in crisis management

Assistant Inspector General of Oman Police and Customs:

• WhatisbetweentheUAEandOmanisjointaction,notjustcoordination

• Emergencypreparednessandpreparingthecountry,residentsandfacilitiesfornaturaldisasterswillgreatlyhelp mitigate their impact

• FoodstoragecoversallgovernoratesintheSultanateofOman

39

This is related to natural disasters. Are there any other risks to consider?

There are some risks related to factories where hazardous substances are handled, often in areas affected by cyclones, leading to environmental and health risks. These were also taken into account and plans were developed at the level of the institution itself, of the province and of the country.

The locations of these factories and enterprises have been carefully chosen, placing them in areas unlikely to be affected by such phenomena.

There are areas of coordination between the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Can you shed light on this subject?

We can’t call it coordination. It is rather cooperation, as we have gone beyond coordination with them: they are part of our family, our brethren and our neighbours and are affected as well.

As soon as something happens in the Sultanate - God forbid - bilateral contact and coordination are established between individuals, making it a family matter as opposed to a matter of state. Joint-work and joint-exercises are ongoing, on coasts and beaches with existing work forces and lifeguards and those factors all lead to in integration.

What is the role of civil society in the Sultanate in coping with emergency situations?

Truth be told, it is difficult to dissociate civil society from government institutions. Everything we saw has been performed jointly. Citizens precede the government whereas they take action without any call to action from its part. This comes forth as a gloriously humane, religious and cultural legacy. Siblings must help one another, no matter what. Civil organisations are the first step and their members sometimes come from government institutions, as they are more familiar with most issues. They take initiatives prior to the arrival of the government and then join hands with it to create an organised partnership under which they work side by side until the state of emergency comes to an end.

Which competent authority sets the basic framework for these actions?

In Oman, it is the National Committee for Civil Defense, chaired by the General Council of Police and Customs, with the involvement of 22 institutions from the public and private sector in the Center for the Management of Atmospheric Climate, Natural and Artificial conditions and disasters, and each institution performs its duties accordingly.

41

H. E. Mohammed Nasser Al GhanemDirector General of the Telecommunications Regulatory AuthorityIn the United Arab Emirates

422012

HE Mohammed Nasser Al Ghanem, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority in the United Arab Emirates, recommended that events should be dealt with quickly and effectively as soon as they occur. He highlighted the need for prior coordination, plans and procedures, and pointed out that that geographical and political coordination is very important in such cases.

He said in an exclusive interview for “Taware’e wa Azamat” magazine, on the sidelines of the Conference on Crisis and Emergency Management in its third session, what characterises this session is the evolution of the level of the speakers, as well as the level of the attendance. He said the comprehensiveness of the conference dealing with various topics is best because the issue of emergency and crisis is linked to a number of different sectors. He added that holding these conferences contributes to continuous learning, and to updating response plans and methods.

He added that our role in such conferences is the development of actual pre-emptive coordination plans, and said TRA is making major efforts along with NCEMA and the two bodies are working together as one team.

The following are the texts of the interview:

What is your assessment of the conference?

Of course, we are participating for the third time in the conference as a strategic partner with the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority. This conference is very important to us, because in fact it achieves its desired objectives in managing emergencies and crises, and provides the best speakers in this particular area. For this reason, we participate in it, fundamentally.

Each session is better than the one before it. The special thing about this session is the evolution of the level of the speakers as well as the level of the audience. We have noticed that since the beginning of the conference in the morning, the hall was completely full, and the listeners were paying close attention, which proves that the topics and subjects are holding the attention of the audience.

Would you rather the conference tackles one theme, or do you think that multiple issues need to be addressed?

I think it is best that the conference comprises various topics, because the issue of emergency and crisis is linked to a number of different sectors. There are specific things, for example, on the first day we talked about the telecom sector, there are issues related to the health sector, and others pertaining to nature and natural disasters, there are issues related to the so-called terrorism, and so on. There is no doubt that selecting the topics is best because it serves to focus the discussion in the research stages.

How can the usefulness of such conferences be determined in your opinion?

I think their usefulness lies in continuous learning, and in updating response plans and methods. It is very important to listen to the plans that were applied elsewhere in the world, and particularly in relation to events that have already occurred. States are always preparing to make plans, and are continuously testing, but - usually - they learn from actual events much more than from developing plans and training. For this reason, such conferences teach us what other countries have benefited from and what others have experienced.

Conferences usually address events that have already occurred, but it may be best if they covered preventive and pre-emptive topics. From your position as the telecom regulatory body, what is your role at this level?

Our role in such conferences is to develop preemptive and preventive plans, and specific plans have already been made to avoid certain risks. For example, in the case of communications interruption in a small or large geographic area, according to the probable cause, which may be the result of a power outage, a storm or a flood, or other reasons, there are different solutions that allow the telecom sector to deal and cope with the circumstances of the event. The telecommunications sector went through lots of experiences, there are also pre-emptive and proactive experiments for certain conditions that did not happen so far, thank God, and we hope they will not occur in the future, but we must prepare for all circumstances.

Stressed the need to deal quickly and effectively with any event as soon as it occurs

Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority in the United Arab Emirates:

• Whatcharacterisesthissessionistheevolutionofthelevelofthespeakers,andtheaudience• WorkingwiththeNationalEmergencyCrisisandDisasterManagementAuthorityinateamspirit

43

Each country has its specificities, but at the level of the Gulf Cooperation Council, is there coordination between the communication bodies in each member state?

Certainly, we have internal coordination, initially between all licensees, and there is also coordination between different administration sectors. Then on a higher level, there are bilateral agreements between neighbouring countries and ourselves, where we have a greater level of coordination. We then move on to another level beyond the region or the Gulf, to cooperation with countries that are farther away from us. We mustn’t forget that the scope is constantly growing and that geographical and political coordination is very important in such cases. In the event of a crisis, there must be coordination, procedures, and pre-emptive plans that allow for quick and effective response.

What is your assessment of past responses to events that haveoccurredinthepastsuchastheswineflupandemic?

I think it was a new experience for us, but it was very effective. There was a lot of coordination. With swine flu we faced a real test. There was great cooperation on the behalf of various stakeholders, and thank God, we achieved the goals we had set, and we learned a lot of lessons, from practice and drills, and we also discovered some deficiencies that needed our attention. Our cooperation with the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority is unique. Without this cooperation we wouldn’t have reached the point where we are today in developing a national plan for the telecommunications sector.

How do you see the role of the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority?

The Authority’s role is very important, vital, and important to all sectors in the country, and for this reason all other sectors must cooperate with it. We cooperate to a large extent, as part of this system, the NCEMA system. However, the Authority’s role goes beyond that, for its aim is higher. Its aim is to maintain the cooperation and coordination between all emergency stakeholders during crises. For this reason, it is necessary for all other sectors, agencies and ministries and others to make plans to cooperate with NCEMA. We made major efforts with the NCEMA and we work together as one team.

The Emergency and Crisis Management Conference in held bi-annually, do you think it should be held annually in view of developing events around the world?

I think holding the conference every two years is better and more appropriate, because each conference presents

experiences we need time to learn from. We need to study the results and apply the findings, in coordination between all stakeholders and with the participation of friendly and neighbouring nations and the GCC... One year would not be sufficient for the emergence of these results. The annual convening of the conference makes it too frequent, and heavily burdens the stakeholders.

45

Mr. Khaled KhalifaThe Head of the UN Office for the Coordinationof Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA ) in the Gulf

462012

Mr. Khaled Al Khalifa, Head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Gulf, confirmed that the third CEMC, which was held in Abu Dhabi on 16 and 17 January 2012, and was organised by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, has achieved its objectives, and is one of the best conferences in the region.

He said in an exclusive interview with “Taware’e wa Azamat”, NCEMA’s magazine, that the UAE has taken pioneering and leading steps at many levels, both internally and internationally, and expressed his belief that the United Arab Emirates has reached a significantly advanced level compared to most Arab countries.

He called for the need to localise scientific materials and translate what we produce in the Arab world, to inform the world about the efforts made by local institutions in the Arab region in order to avoid criticism in the future. He stressed the need “to be present on the scene, and we will not be present on the scene unless we invest in the research and the development of scientific resources.”

In the following is the text of the interview:

How do you evaluate the work of this conference?

I think the conference has achieved its objectives; there were a large number of attendees. In fact, it is one of the best conferences I have attended in the region, in terms of attendance, the number of speakers and the different topics that were tackled. I am glad the conference topics covered different aspects, not only the security aspect of disaster and crisis management, but also the informational side, and the idea of coordination among responding bodies. I thank the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority for its gracious invitation, and also for inviting a large number of speakers from different countries of the world, because in this area, exposure to various scenarios, and finding out what is going on in other countries, may be more useful than discussing a topic at the local level alone.

As head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, how do you see the steps made by the United Arab Emirates to manage emergencies, crises and disasters?

I think the UAE has taken pioneering and leading steps at various levels. First at the domestic level, the presence of a competent authority for the management of crises and

disasters would work to improve procedures in this domain in the future and prepare specialised and qualified personnel. It helps in providing the necessary resources and capabilities required to address any disaster that may occur in the future- God forbid. As for the international level, I think the UAE has reached a significantly advanced position compared to most Arab countries. We have an office in the UAE to coordinate foreign aid, and we call for other countries to follow our lead in establishing a focal point to support the relief action and humanitarian response at the international level.

What is the role played by the United Nations in this regard?

We inaugurated an office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs that covers the Gulf, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), based in Abu Dhabi, and this office is working on three axes: the first axis is the sharing of information and the support of the culture of information in humanitarian organisations. The second axis aims to improve capacity and training in relation to governmental or non-governmental agencies or international organisations working in the region. The third axis aims to support the true partnership between the Arab institutions, especially those in the Gulf region and the international humanitarian community, especially the United Nations.

What are the main shortcomings pertaining to this subject, at the regional level as a whole?

I pointed out serious shortcomings existing in our Arab region in general, limited to the issue of localisation, where we do not have the scientific and training material that allows us to hone the skills of workers in this field. We do not have specialised universities that teach the concept and principals of emergency response. There is some improvement and there are sections, but the way ahead is long and we need time. We must start from now by translating scientific materials into Arabic, and also translate what we produce in the Arab world, to inform the world about the efforts made by local institutions in the Arab region, in order to avoid criticism in the future. We must be present in the field and, for that to happen, we must invest in research and in the development of scientific resources.

Stressed the need for investment in research and in the development of scientific resources

Head of the United Nations OfficeFor the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Gulf:

• Theconferenceachieveditsobjectivesandisoneofthemostsuccessfulconferences• TheEmirateshastakenbigpioneeringstepsatseverallevels• Wewillnotbepresentinthefieldunlessweinvestedinresearchanddevelopmentofscientificresources

47