Montenegro leads the region in terms of reducing the risk of disasters, Minister of the Interior Danilo Šaranović announced.
The Ministry of the Interior (MUP) announced that during the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction, which opened yesterday in Budva, Šaranović chaired the ministerial round table, which was attended by Kamal Kišor, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) for disaster risk reduction, Janez Lenarčič, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, as well as many other high representatives of European and Central Asian countries.
The announcement states that Šaranović on this occasion emphasized the importance of building a unified response of the countries of Europe and Central Asia to the increasingly pronounced challenges of climate and natural disasters.
The Ministry of Interior stated that during the discussion, special emphasis was placed on the impact of climate change on the occurrence of forest fires and floods.
Šaranović recalled the disasters that hit Montenegro, but also the lessons learned from those experiences, with special reference to the 1979 earthquake, which had serious consequences on the Montenegrin coast.
"Today, thanks to the investment in equipment and capacities, Montenegro leads the region in terms of reducing the risk of disasters, as evidenced by the results achieved during this year's fire season," he emphasized.
The Ministry of Interior stated that the participants of the round table jointly committed to improving interstate cooperation in order to reduce the risk of natural disasters.
"The importance of harmonizing policies and long-term planning in this area was particularly emphasized, as well as the role of green infrastructure and sustainable development in increasing the resilience of societies and ecosystems. The forum resulted in the adoption of a Political Declaration that encourages member states to implement integrated actions and a multidisciplinary approach in the area of risk reduction from disasters. The declaration emphasizes the importance of investing in this area, as well as the need for joint efforts in financing and developing more resilient infrastructure, which will reduce the potential negative outcomes of future disasters," said the MUP.
Šaranović also said that disaster risk prevention and reduction require long-term commitment and coordination at all levels.
"Intensive activities, exchange of knowledge and application of international standards are necessary in order to build a safer future and make our countries more resistant to modern challenges," concluded the minister.
The Ministry of Interior stated that the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction is organized by the Government of Montenegro - Ministry of Internal Affairs, with the support of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the European Commission, the Council of Europe and the UN Development Program (UNDP ).
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