World 'dangerously unprepared' for future disasters
The world is "dangerously unprepared" for future disasters because rich nations are not
doing enough, warns the international development secretary.
Andrew Mitchell blames the failure of several countries to pay into the Central
Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
The UK government has pledged £20m to the fund - in addition to £40m already promised - but an
estimated £45m shortfall is still expected next year.
The international community must "wake up" to the challenge, he said.
The
fund, set up by the UN, has been hit hard by a wave of natural disasters this year - the tsunami in Japan; an earthquake in New Zealand; famine in the
Horn of Africa; and floods in Pakistan and the Philippines.
Mr Mitchell said the increasing numbers of people living in low-lying or
famine-prone areas meant the scale of future tragedies would be greater.
The CREF was set up in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami on Boxing
Day 2004.
Mr Mitchell said many countries wait for events to happen before offering money but he said this could affect critical emergency
response work.
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DONORS TO CREF IN 2011
UK - £94m
Sweden - £74m
Norway -
£67m
Netherlands - £54m
US - £6m
Japan - £3m
China - £500,000
Source: UN CREF
website
He said in the first few hours of a disaster, when survivors are trapped in the rubble of an earthquake, delays and lack of resources
can mean the difference between life and death.
"This year the world has been rocked by devastating disasters and the evidence suggests this
trend is likely to continue.
"The past shows that international responses could have been more effective if they had been properly planned and
coordinated as part of one single system instead of a patch-quilt approach we see all too often."
Mr Mitchell said: "The system is in place
but too many countries and agencies are failing to back it, leaving the world dangerously unprepared for the scale and number of shocks that lie
ahead.
"The international community must wake up to this challenge and unite its efforts under one umbrella," he added.
[BBC]
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