Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al...

16 January 2012 News

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi, and Chairman of the National Emergency, Crisis, and Disasters Management Authority, the third edition of the Emergency and Crisis Management Conference commenced today in Abu Dhabi. Titled "Preparing for Future Challenges: Innovative Solutions in Crisis and Disaster Management," the conference is organized by the National Emergency, Crisis, and Disasters Management Authority in coordination with the Near East and Gulf Military Analysis Foundation "Enigma." It is being held at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel in Abu Dhabi and will continue for two days, January 16 and 17.

The opening session of the conference was attended by His Excellency Dr. Abdulatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), His Excellency Saif Sultan Al Aryani, Secretary-General of the Supreme National Security Council, as well as a number of senior officials from both civilian and military sectors, and a select group of specialists from international organizations and bodies.

In his opening speech, His Excellency Mohamed Khalfan Al Romaithi, Director General of the National Emergency, Crisis, and Disasters Management Authority, conveyed the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, and General His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, to the participants in the conference. He expressed their appreciation for the valuable efforts dedicated to humanitarian service and wished the conference success in achieving its goals.
He highlighted that the wise leadership of the UAE, since its founding under the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has adhered to a peaceful and humanitarian approach in addressing the issues and crises of various peoples, regardless of religion, color, race, or nationality. The UAE takes pride in being at the forefront of its humanitarian duties towards groups and nations affected by tragedies, whether natural or man-made.

Al Romaithi emphasized that the National Emergency, Crisis, and Disasters Management Authority, with the support and follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is committed to reinforcing the concepts of community response, promoting its culture, and generalizing its methods to face potential risks. This effort relies on coordination and cooperation with relevant entities both within and outside the country, as well as developing emergency and crisis management skills by leveraging all available national resources to preserve the nation and its gains.

He noted that the conference takes place at a time when the world is undergoing significant developments, potentially leading to a new phase that we hope will benefit our countries and peoples. He expressed hope that this international scientific event will become a regular and open forum for exchanging information, experiences, and programs, and for in-depth discussions on emergency, crisis, and disaster topics to develop plans and strategies that ensure the preservation of human lives, property, and achievements, and to support the sustainable development of our nations.

Al Romaithi added that crises or "critical moments," which may involve anticipated or unanticipated problems or dangers, are often accompanied by elements of surprise. Such situations can lead to disasters if not addressed promptly and efficiently. Therefore, effective management requires proactive responses, swift decision-making, and precise execution of pre-determined plans to minimize losses, contain damage, and achieve recovery.

He further explained that crisis management involves identifying potential risks, forecasting their occurrence, preparing plans to address them, and evaluating the decisions and solutions implemented. It also includes studying and analyzing crises to delay or prevent subsequent ones, and implementing proactive measures to prevent their occurrence or mitigate their impact if they do occur. Subsequent stages involve containing damage, preventing the crisis from worsening, and ensuring business continuity across vital sectors.

Al Romaithi emphasized that historical experiences have shown that nations and communities that engaged in proactive planning and utilized modern technologies and skills were better equipped to handle risks and crises. He noted that lacking these elements inevitably leads to loss of control, increased uncertainty, and crisis escalation.

He concluded that the choice of the theme "Preparing Nations for Future Challenges: Innovative Solutions in Crisis and Emergency Management" for the third edition reflects the awareness that we are not isolated from the world but are part of it, influenced by global events, and striving to align with our allies and friends to establish a world free from risks and crises, aiming for security, stability, and prosperity.

He reiterated that precaution alone cannot entirely prevent emergencies or crises, which drain significant national efforts, both governmental and civilian. Rather, it helps reduce the likelihood of their occurrence and prepares us to address them effectively if they arise. He emphasized the conference’s role in contributing to innovative solutions for successful crisis management and urged it to produce recommendations that meet the expectations for innovative solutions to international risks and threats.

In a similar statement during the opening session, His Excellency Dr. Abdulatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary-General of the GCC, outlined the GCC’s comprehensive vision aimed at achieving prosperity in its broad sense, including economic growth for each country and citizen, providing opportunities for personal ambitions, and ensuring equality in education, health, and social services, while creating a safe and stable environment.

He identified five strategic goals for the GCC: safeguarding the member states from all threats and risks, achieving sustainable economic growth through various joint projects and initiatives, developing and enhancing human resources, raising awareness about risk and crisis management, and enhancing the GCC’s international stature.

Dr. Al Zayani noted the strategic importance of managing risks and crises, highlighting recent developments such as the establishment of an emergency management center and plans for a future radiation monitoring center. He also emphasized the GCC’s readiness to contribute to addressing international challenges and its consistent provision of developmental and humanitarian aid to affected or needy countries.

Following that, Brigadier General Reda Al Batoush, Deputy President of the National Center for Security and Crisis Management in Jordan, gave a presentation on the center’s visions and aspirations. Mr. Ali Rashid Al Neyadi, Director of Operations at the National Emergency, Crisis, and Disasters Management Authority in the UAE, provided an overview of the Authority’s history, achievements, and preparations for emergencies.

The first working session of the conference, chaired by Major General Hamid Mohammed Al Hadeedi, Commander of Sharjah Police, focused on "Crisis Response: Lessons Learned," featuring presentations from Rashid Khalikov of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Brigadier General Salem bin Musallam Al Qattan from Oman, and Jim McGowan from the Queensland Government, Australia.
The second working session of the conference, titled "Resilience and Major Challenges," was chaired by Fiona McKersee from the National Emergency, Crisis, and Disasters Management Authority, with presentations from Mohammad Nasser Al Ghanem from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Dr. Sami Al Faris from the Kuwaiti Center for Strategic Studies, and Colonel Philippe Nardin from France’s Civil Protection Directorate.

The conference also included two workshops: one on "Managing Disaster Events from Hurricane Katrina to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill," led by retired Admiral Thad Allen, and another on "Facilitating Business Continuity Planning through Enhanced Public-Private Cooperation," led by Alan Berman of the International Disaster Recovery Institute (DRI) in the USA. The conference is held in partnership with the Presidential Affairs Ministry, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, the UAE Armed Forces General Command, and the Abu Dhabi Executive Council. The sponsors include Lockheed Martin (Gold Sponsor) and Booz Allen Hamilton (Silver Sponsor). The conference will continue tomorrow with sessions on crisis coordination and cooperation, and information environment, featuring experts in the field.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the third edition of the Emergency and Crisis Management Conference commenced