Commemoration of World Tsunami Awareness Day
The commemoration of the World Tsunami Awareness Day was organized during the Africa-Arab Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction which was themed “Towards disaster risk Informed and inclusive sustainable development” (09-13 October 2018 in Tunis, Tunisia).
The Government of the Republic of Tunisia and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) in collaboration with the League of Arab States and the African Union Commission organized the platform.
The platform provided an opportunity for governments and all stakeholders to assess the progress and reaffirm commitment towards implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 in the two regions. The platform also enabled stakeholders and partners to foster cooperation across the regions towards disaster risk informed and inclusive sustainable development; by sharing knowledge, experiences and best practices in advancing disaster risk reduction.
The commemoration of the World Tsunami Awareness Day ought to generate increased political commitment towards more efficient early warning systems and to raise awareness in the tourism industry to reduce the economic losses of tsunamis in the future.
The two-hour panel discussion will be chaired by Ms. Kirsi Madi, UNISDR Director. Panelists represented countries which are highly depending on tourism revenues and which have been or could be highly affected by tsunamis in the future, including:
- Mr. Hosam El Sokkari , Former Head of BBC Arabic (Moderator)
- Mr. Denis Chang Seng, Programme Specialist, Oean Observation & Services Section /Tsunami Unit, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
- Ms. Veronique Baker, Senior Disaster Risk Management Officer, Department of Risk and Disaster Management, Seychelles,
- M. Ahmed Aly Aly Badawy, Expert on Earthquake & Tsunami Risk Reduction and Head of "Egyptian National Seismic Network (ENSN)", National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG)
- Ms. Gina Bonne, Head of Environment and Natural Resources, Indian Ocean Commission
- M. Omran Kamzari, Director, Pollution Operation Monitoring Centre, Ministry of Environment & Climate Affair, Oman