National Emergency and Disaster Management Fund Vacancies
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (NDRMS) IN NAMIBIA
The decision to transform the National Emergency Management System (NEMS) which was established by Cabinet in 1994, into a National Disaster Risk Management System (NDRMS) is concrete expression of the political will and institutional recognition of disaster risk reduction as a relevant issue at all levels of government in Namibia. An effectively functioning NDRMS will minimise duplication of efforts and will optimise the utilisation of resources by facilitating the alignment and integration of roles and responsibilities for disaster risk management. In addition, the new focus on disaster risk reduction within the broader concept of total disaster risk management will ensure that all ministries, the private sector, other non-state actors and development partners integrate disaster risk reduction practice into their routine activities, thereby building national and community resilience to disasters.
Establishment of the National Disaster Risk Management System
In terms of Cabinet Action Letter 5TH/15.02.94/006, the Government of the Republic of Namibia resolved to establish the National Disaster Risk Management System (NDRMS) (formerly the National Emergency Management System) in the Office of the Prime Minister.
As resolved by Cabinet the NDRMS comprises the following inter-sectoral structures:
- The National Disaster Risk Management Committee (NDRMC) formerly the National Emergency Management Committee (NEMC);
- The Directorate Disaster Risk Management (DDRM) (formerly Directorate Emergency Management);
- Regional Disaster Management Committees (RDRMCs) formerly the Regional Emergency Management Unit;
- Constituency Disaster Risk Management Committees (CDRMCs) formerly Constituency Emergency Management Units;
- Local Authority Disaster Risk Management System (LADRMS); and
- Settlement Disaster Risk Management Committees (SDRMCs) formerly the Settlement Emergency Management Units.
Mandate of the NDRMS
The NDRMS is responsible for the development and implementation of integrated disaster risk management policy in Namibia. The mandate of the NDRMS is to give effect to the NDRM Policy. This must be done by developing, establishing and maintaining integrated and coordinated disaster risk management in Namibia through the application of innovative approaches and technologies to build communities, infrastructure and environments in Namibia that are resilient to disaster risks.
Role of the NDRMS
The primary role of the NDRMS is to provide an enabling environment for the development, establishment and maintenance of integrated and coordinated disaster risk management in Namibia. The NDRMS must ensure that the concept of disaster risk reduction is applied through a participatory process of ideas and actions amongst all Government ministries, the private sector, other non-state actors and development partners at national, regional, constituency, local authority and settlement levels in Namibia.
Institutional and operational arrangements for the NDRMS
In order to give effect to Objective 1 of the National Disaster Risk Management (NDRM) Policy, institutional and operational arrangements must be established and maintained that will provide a strong basis for the effective implementation of the NDRMS. These arrangements must include:
- setting out the mechanisms for the development, adoption, regular review and amendment of the legal and regulatory framework within which the NDRMS must operate;
- sound organisational mechanisms to enable the integrated direction and execution of the NDRM Policy and for the clear allocation of responsibilities for disaster risk management in Namibia;
- establishing multi-stakeholder partnerships at all levels to contribute to the implementation of the NDRMS and to ensuring that disaster risk reduction remains a national, regional, constituency, local authority and local priority; and
- establishing relationships with neighbouring and other states in the southern African region and internationally for the purposes of disaster risk management.
The hierarchy of the National Disaster Management System in Namibia is illustrated diagrammatically in Appendix to this policy.
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