OFFICE OF TIlE PRIME MINISTER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UNI 1’ NAMII3JiVS CONTiwsUrIOrsrrc) TEE PLAN OF ACTION TO READOPn3D AT THE WCDIt. JANUARY 2005. 7 JULY 2004 1. Introchiclino Nam]iis is cJas~:i~eci as an arid to semi- arid cottony with an anmge rainfall of less than ~00nini. This coupled with a high degree of variation in rainfall fm’ir year to yea’ iendcrs the oounify prone to dr~agiu du~sters. Ø~ iJ~ other hiuid, thc counfly c~peritxi~’ flood disasters caused by ziver and coastai fioodjn~ floin imcnse rainfall ui rnunaaUoxi aSociated with seasonal weather patLems Duzin~ years or good rainfall, fire disasters arc expuienced. Causes of fire vary from traditional way of hunting, lud clearing for farming as wall as the careless discarding of cigarerte ends. We luive fortunately uot had any major environmental disasters at nabonal stale in Nsmibia. l-luwever. at focal sc~de, we have had pollution related irtcidcnces e g. the spil Rog of chwchais hi trvispo~t due to road accidents. Ecing aware of thc thvironlncmtal impacts of industrial production, the governmcnt has comnilned ~ir~f to the xeternationai environmental convelstions such as the Manireal Pmtoco1 on subsusuces that deplete the O~toac layer and the UN framework cosweniion on climate change. tjo~ epidemics experienced in Nainibia are Malaria with 1282 deaths reported in the &u1 North Western region in 20411 and 74~ deaths ieported in $onhexn part of the ccamry in 2000. Outbreaks of meningococcai meningitis was reported in Wiudhoek in 2002 with 12 deaths. H IWAWS poses the most serious developmcnt challenge lbr Narn~bia. The negative impact of the uxvi~ms epidemic on all sectors of the Namibian economy is already hems felt, and it is expected so increase considentbiy over the ncia decade. This document will focus on the major disasters in Nanibia as highlighted above ~.c drn’~ghc flood. wild lire and mv/AIDS. 1 211 Na1inm~3 PU~Cft$, thiflegies and pi9r~. developed for Thia4er reduction ~) Di~is~cr Plan by the i!rncrcency ~daoa~taxgmt Unit in die Office of the Prime Mini~Ler b) National Health Emergency and Response Plan, National Aids Control Piwranunc I 99O~ and the Second M~dinm Term Plan 3999 were established by Lh~~ Minisry of Hut~h and Socia) Set vic.s (MORES). The Ministry also runs a i)jsage~ SurvtiJ1aac~e and Epidemic Manageiucut Section. in March 2004. the Third Medium Term Plan 2004 2009 wa~ lau~uithed by MOHSS. c) NatioTlal Thought PoUcy and Stra1e~y by the Ministry of A i~.ilturc, Water and Rurai Development. ci) Ewergency Aaioii Plan. Er.viionmcutat Impact Mse~sment Policy aud Draft Enviroinnenthi Mana~emtnt & Msos~ment Bill by the Ministry of Environment and TouSin. c) Other policy documents that we aimed at rediseing the impact of potential disase~n3 that coald emanate from industrial and developmental activities are put it~ place by various Goc,cinrnent Mini~sS e.g. the draft Policy and &rate~y on industrial J)tvidopmanr by the lviithstiy of Tiade and i’idustiy; National Oil Spill Cottingency Plan by the Ministry of Works~ Transport and Communication and Inc X~tnual on Disastcx Manegemem for the Police Officers by the MInlstiy of HomeAffaüsjastto mention but afew. 22 Dn these documents provide gtthiai net and resources for disaster reduction? All thtse documetta pmvide guidance for disaster reduedon. However, not all of them hitvc enough f~nancia1 and material resourt~ isi place to enable them implement the actIsltic, 2.3 ~ow the policies, strategies arid iegisbttious are implemented. a) The Disaster Plan is a document ~that is being used as a guideline for the ooordiniüion at d~sasLer progamnies and aptivities in the cowiny. It made proVision for the Natiorn~l Emei~cncy1Disasi:er Fund that is funded annually by thc C7overnment. Othei SLakeliolciers make wntribution into the find especially in times of disasters. 2 2.Existing po&kes, stnitcgies plans said iegslntions Ti~c nnpiesnentMaoii of the activities reiatcd to specific disasters is the responswmly of tne Iviinistry responsible for that spi~cific disaswr a~ supulated in th.- DLsa;Lcr P9an Thc E!nergeilcy Management Unit is entrusted WLth the coordisthion of the various disttstci preparedness and martagemen activities C2tTte4 mit by the variou9 Ministries. The National Emer~ancy Management Connni~tee comprising of Permanenl Secretaries from Ministries responsible for spcciflc disasters and other identified supportive MmistricN, it a body entrusted with the fbrrnu.iaLion oP ~Olwieb and making decisions regarding national pcuparednes~ and cix;crgcl’cy operaions. At the Re~jonzi levels. [he Regional Emergency Maxiagemcrit Units (REMIJs) diairoi by I-Ion. Governors are responsible for the coordination of disaster prep~ucdriess and management activities. The REMUS consist of all government depzrtnients representatives, NGOs, headmen and traditional leaders in the region. re Con~iiiutrncy Emergency Management Units (CEMUs) and the Village Enien~czacy Management Units (VEMUs) play the same role at the constituency and viidgc levels respectively1 CEMUs arc chaired by the Regional Couneillors and are campuS of repwsciitatives of government (e.g. teachers, nui ses). NOOs chiefs. bstadmen etc. VEMUs are chaired by the village headmen and consist of community leaders. NCiOs and government representative that may be available at that le~ei, b) The Nauonal Aids Control Programme of 1990. was established to create awarentss and prevention campaiga The Second Medium Term Plan was launched in order to intensify the awareness and prevention campaigns througji an e’cpanded multi-sectoral national response. The plan foccased on mobilizing all partners to redu1.c the number of I-nv infections among adults and children by sucn~theniog the support so HW/AIDS prevention and connol efforts, It ftzrthcr aimed at supponing and suengthcning the national as well as regional programme management struerures to ensure ethieãve coordination and monitoiing of the national response to lily/AiDS. It also addressed the issue of stigrriuiizntion and disthmination as well as ensuthig access to quality health senices for the p~plc living with kU V/AIDS. The Third Maliuni Term Plan (MTP1 II) was put to~eth& through an intensive consultative ~i0tt55 with the pabflè and private sectors, rttgioS CQmIIIItteCSS dc~ciopinent paincis and people living with IJI V/AIDS. The MTPI 11 recognises the gaipS identified during the ccvi aw of the two earlier documents. Ii serves as a guide for sector response to the epidemni; as well as a maDagement and coordination tool for all dx,se involved in the £lgbt against the epidemic. The iniph~mextation and nionitoting of the activities as slated in the MTPJ u is as described on the aua±ed Orgauo~ram of the National Aids Coordination Pro~iairiznc. 3 2.Existing po&kes, stnitcgies plans said iegslntions Ensure timE households food security is not threatened by di ought. Encow ugt and ~iippozt lisrnter~ to adopt sdllwliant approaches to drought risk, Ptesene adequate reproduthve capacity in livestock herds in affected areas durinig thcx~ghi p~iods, Ensure the continuous supply of potable water to comnuinkics, and Mlthnise the de~rac1a±ion of the naltutl resource base during droughts. The above mentioned objectives are reached throug)t 1. Guvcraiit • Finance and manage Laigcitd income ttans*tr pro~iammes to support household fot)d secunty in iriWCS of disagei drought: a Itenneat long term developmeat piogramities in AWQUI of poverty reduction as a mesas of mitigating the effects of drought; • help fkrmers nmnagc drougln-indueo ineoma variability and reduce vulnerability to drought mitigating farming practices, diversification of income generating acti’.4ües and provision of early warning iriforn,ation • Piuvidc subsi±zud assi~thu~e to farmcs in disjwttr Sought years; • gnsure that short temi relief prograrnnes in times of disaater draught and long term strategies SuppOrt sustainable natural resource use under conditions of climatic varisbility~ and • thaw up end impiernurni appropriate post-disnster recoveiy and preparedness prog’anmtt~. 2. Farmers • Manage ariculttrai activities in an economically and ecologically responsible manner and in a way that takes low. rziEalZ, crop and giazing production and czouscqacza income variation into account • Develop ny~ af reducing vulnerability to drought in the longer term. • Contribute in normal rainfall yea~’s toward the cost of ñnancial assistance chthng times of disatcr drought. d) The objeetivns of the Emergency Action Plan by the Ministry of EnviTonrnent axtd Tourism. • Thvvide immemate response to ClisasLious oniergencies failing under the scapa of the MirStry~ • Design mitigative mensures to lessen the eCect of potential environincatni disastex; * Strengthen early warning capacities lbr environnasi disasters, and • Monuor the possibility of out-breaks of 4isasters 4 c)J he Ob~ectives of the Nailonal flroujnt Policy & Strategy is to: These ebjeethes ate neached through setting, up ipprop~iate suuctw as at national, reg~onaJ arid community levels as well as mobilizing ane necessary Yesources. 2.4 Cou~utints encountered in irnpkninenting n) Lack u~f pofloiz. strategies and legislations on flor4. pest ivièstation and disaster management. 1) Staff turnoven c) Limited ~icilicd kumdn resources dun to laGS of staff on the established structures. d) Limited tirianchd and material ce~ources 2.5 Success Story: Caprivi Flood Eiuergeny The labbe constiluenc’v and part of the ICatirna Rural constituency ul’ the Caprivi region were affected by The flood during the month of April — June 2004, Most villages and gmazin~, areas in the Kabbe consth.ucnc.y were cithet submerged or sarounded by water with o~uly isciabd pockeLc of dry land jeLl. Sc~iools and other Goverunsont buildings were LX):nIpJt2tCLy terruentkd, rc~ irimz such instiLuLions iM~essjbje. Twenty thousand people wei u 4reeted by the fiood of wiiit± fi’i.c thousand needed relocation to higher ground. The t~oud linis the treincudously impacted on shelter and household items, living people I~omecnss and Without sut~cient clothing and blankets As a result eounntmitieg in the affected w ~us we: e then dependi&~g cm Chvemmein and donor relief. fj~ ~ through its Caprivi ~ Emergency Management umt idenniled ieid p~epai td five ;eiocation Cannes for temporal resetdonient of the 5000 people that weru eva~utste fran the flooded areas. Even though 6 lives s~eie lost, the timely thrgrv~nti~n of the (iuvernmcnt and its L)e”ekipnrarit partnei s renthed in mote lives being saved comnndering thin intenthty of the flood. St.ruczures were put in place for the udwinistntion of the centres and rnonhoring of the flood situation. All ncccs~ary food ~trid non-fjod items ware ptovided by both tlie~Govanmunt and Develupmeut Partners. Although a ia%a niambor of liqesteck was moved to higher ground before the flood, a sizeable nucthei remained in the flooded areas with the result that such livestock were at risk of dylug. due ie water born diseases Or Wtacks by crocodiles, Voddcr wus provided to wild utunials i e~ ThutTaIos that were trapped on isolated islands. Currertdy the relocated people are being tianspor Ltd back to their areas of origin The Government is consulting with other staktholders and de~elopmsttt partners on the f~tusihit pi,oject~ tt~~t cottid he implemented in order to miugate the effect of potenual flood;. 5 c)J he Ob~ectives of the Nailonal flroujnt Policy & Strategy is to: 2.6 hays t~i advaisce dMastcr risk rei~rictian in Africa I3uilding zapacily of reiev~irjt staff men~bers both at National awl community levels. /UiOcaLJOt] al s~zftieitni ijuyrr.ui. Financial and mna~erAI resotirc~ to dIsaster risk Fonnoiat~on and impieineniation of relevant policies, svra~egies and legislations. 2.7 Priorities fl~u Nasssbja wiskcs to It addressal at the World Cariferenee en lMn~a&~tr RCUIMahUSL Seun~nnen ‘Jisa~mer prep~icw~ss Ltuuugh fwnulatiun of relevant pu~icies. strategies and ~egisiatioas. 5uengLhen resources mobilization weohanisms to address human. Einansei:t! and material resotn CC4 WnStraiflLS. Strcajthcn~ng ci’ the ~o’cerwucnts lntcrventions to lU V/ADDS. 6 c)J he Ob~ectives of the Nailonal flroujnt Policy & Strategy is to: —.- MuW z~:foraJ Le.,dc,thb & co-~rdinat~or t4AEC cco,r~,;i~ ;~enaJc~n Mandrocxms. crai~fe.c rno~cr~ ~VJA~ k~ i~cci Level .‘~teeni~g CommittePs npjë~~’nin,J~,r Mri~r~s — — ~—--——-—--—•-—-—---—-—------. .-~-—.--———-—- _______ Rgure 6.. Org~nogr~ni o~ ~o’ict~ AtO~ C -ordIna~1~n P~c~~amti~e National Level ____ _____ _____ NAC Mo~-~S~ ‘ ____ ____ _____ ectc~r~~: Le~e~th~: ~c’hcy. ko~ if c~ r,iob~i~Ior~ ~ Specx~i FrOgrflm.i~ gi~n~i 1ev~~ RAC/SHPA/~ Techn~~oJ Te~ 1ie~cn,ikal £~i~n Locc~ t.~ve~ ~oor~iJno1~s ffl-~eciar~ ri~.,3flse Qfre~Tor~J ancioçcl IeveLc Sub-reg~naI ALDS C~mmlltee~ (DAC(DC or CACOC) ~-~---~----. __~_.! Co-i~rc~r~jtos ~o resp~n~e ~ LOCc~ Aumr3yI,GL ~ ~Os, CBO~. p(rvwe sector. P~a~aIs I ~ —Reponing line 6 c)J he Ob~ectives of the Nailonal flroujnt Policy & Strategy is to: Tecines support 6