Vulnerable communities ‘hit hardest by disasters’
The marginalised and the poor are hit the hardest by disasters, deputy minister of urban and rural development Evelyn Nawases-Taeyele said.
Speaking last week during the commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Reduction, she said: "We are witnessing economic hardship that leads to increasing interest rates, inflation and rising prices and debt levels, which are crushing vulnerable communities”.
The cost-of-living crisis, which also hits the needy the hardest, is exacerbated in Namibia by natural disasters, she added.
"In Namibia, we are not immune as we are exposed to a spectrum of disasters, including droughts that lead to the loss of livestock and agricultural produce en masse. As if that's not enough, we're also susceptible to floods, wildfires, plague outbreaks and windstorms, to name just a few," she said.
Nawases-Taeyele explained that it is important to take precautions against disasters.
"The global campaign we commemorate today with the theme of 'fighting inequality for a resilient future' aims to create a global culture of disaster reduction, including disaster resilience, prevention, mediation, preparedness and recovery," she said.
Meanwhile, Namibia is still putting shoulder to the wheel to achieve disaster prevention goals that are in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Namibia continues to work with regional neighbours and global friends to break the cycle of poverty and disasters by fulfilling the various international agreements aimed at achieving the SDGs,” she said.
Speaking last week during the commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Reduction, she said: "We are witnessing economic hardship that leads to increasing interest rates, inflation and rising prices and debt levels, which are crushing vulnerable communities”.
The cost-of-living crisis, which also hits the needy the hardest, is exacerbated in Namibia by natural disasters, she added.
"In Namibia, we are not immune as we are exposed to a spectrum of disasters, including droughts that lead to the loss of livestock and agricultural produce en masse. As if that's not enough, we're also susceptible to floods, wildfires, plague outbreaks and windstorms, to name just a few," she said.
Nawases-Taeyele explained that it is important to take precautions against disasters.
"The global campaign we commemorate today with the theme of 'fighting inequality for a resilient future' aims to create a global culture of disaster reduction, including disaster resilience, prevention, mediation, preparedness and recovery," she said.
Meanwhile, Namibia is still putting shoulder to the wheel to achieve disaster prevention goals that are in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Namibia continues to work with regional neighbours and global friends to break the cycle of poverty and disasters by fulfilling the various international agreements aimed at achieving the SDGs,” she said.
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