Making the United Nations Relevant to all People– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the 蘑菇视频 General Assembly
5 November 2018
It’s a true privilege to be here.
I would like to acknowledge the Permanent Representatives of Japan, Chile and Indonesia for making it possible to be here.
I would also like to acknowledge his Excellency Mr. Koro Bessho, Permanent Representative of Japan,
Ms. Mami Muzitori, Special Representative of the Secretary General on Disaster Risk Reduction,
Ms. Asako Okai, Assistant Secretary General and Director of 蘑菇视频DP’s Crisis Bureau,
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The tsunami that took the lives of more than two thousand people in Indonesia in September, is a stark reminder that these events can be unpredictable, powerful and devastating.
So, all my condolences to the people of Indonesia, Mr. Ambassador.
And while they are, thankfully, few and far between, when they do occur the impact can be catastrophic. With only moment’s notice, entire cities, villages, lives and livelihoods can be, quite literally, washed away.
In the last two decades alone, we have seen powerful tsunamis devastate countries in the Indian Ocean region and leave the city of Fukushima in ruins, for example. Taken together, these events have cost the lives of almost three hundred thousand people.
Putting aside the tragic loss of life for a moment, the impact on social and economic development is equally as profound. The Indian Ocean Tsunami led to at least $20 billion in losses, while the Fukushima tsunami, one of the most devastating disasters in history, cost more than $300 billion.
These are not just numbers, these are hard-won development gains. Critical infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, are lost, and entire livelihoods are upended, creating new pools of poverty.
For countries and regions at risk of earthquakes and tsunamis, avoiding such losses requires investing in risk-informed development. This includes putting in place and enforcing the right systems and processes, such as no-build zones and better building codes.
On the human side, strengthening public awareness and preparedness are the only avenues available, and must be pursued with every effort at our disposal.
And, given the disproportionate impact on women, on persons with disabilities, the elderly, preparedness measures must empower all people, leaving no one behind.
Dear friends,
Since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, great strides have been made to enhance disaster preparedness:
- Tsunami-detection systems have been deployed in the Indian and Pacific Oceans;
- The Strengthening School Preparedness for Tsunamis project has seen over 100 schools and benefit nearly sixty thousand students.
- The Making Cities Resilient Campaign, led by 蘑菇视频ISDR, has helped to strengthen disaster preparedness in cities around the world; and
- The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction has put in place the policy and institutional framework for concrete implementation at all levels.
Yet, much more remains to be done. Disaster preparedness must be ever ongoing and evolving, taking into account the latest in technologies and striving, always, to leave no one behind.
I would emphasize two brief points in this regard:
First, the rapid rate of technological advancement, the so-called, ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, is seeing global technologies shift, change, and emerge outright at a pace like we have never seen before.
For who could have foreseen the power of social media or of apps only a few years ago; who could have predicted the prevalence of drone technologies that are used for preparedness and prevention.
We must make use of the latest technologies and adapt as needed to accommodate the tools and systems that the public are using.
This brings me to my second point: in leaving no one behind, we cannot assume that all people have access to, or are able to use, the latest technologies.
Perhaps it is a woman residing near the shoreline without a telephone or access to the internet; or perhaps it is an elderly or persons with disabilities who is unable to hear the warning sirens.
It is thus equally as important that full, end-to-end early warning systems and preparedness measures reflect the lived reality of all people in society.
And in this I would like to bring up the important role that parliaments play and to recognize the two parliamentarians here today. Parliaments play an important role in the normative effort of disaster preparedness, so thank you.
Global efforts to address disaster risk and recovery remains one of the strongest spaces for multilateralism.
Indeed, multilateralism has proven indispensable to protect people affected by natural hazards. ?
Colleagues, we have the skills, the technologies and the resources. Let us build on the positive developments we have seen in the last two decades and continue to push forward.
In closing, allow me to highlight that global efforts to address disaster risk and recovery remains one of the strongest spaces for multilateralism.
Indeed, multilateralism has proven indispensable to protect people affected by natural hazards.
We have seen this in the response to hurricanes in the Caribbean and U.S. in 2017; we have seen this in the response to the Nepal earthquake in 2015; and we have seen this in response to the recent tsunami in Indonesia.
I thus thank our partners here today for remaining champions of this cause. Through your unwavering support and initiatives, you have undoubtedly helped protect millions of people around the world. And I would like to thank again the leadership and commitment of Japan, Indonesia and Chile, as well as every country in the Pacific, for their support to prevention, preparedness and awareness.
I wish you all a pleasant and fruitful discussion today, and I hope that this Tsunami Day will be transformed into a harvest of greater awareness.
Thank you very much.