UAE shaping future of emergency and crisis management, Tahnoun bin Zayed says

Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, highlighted the UAE’s global role in shaping the future of emergency and crisis management.

As the Crisis and Emergency Management Summit - Abu Dhabi 2023 begins tomorrow, Tuesday, under his patronage and organised by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, Sheikh Tahnoun expressed his pleasure in welcoming esteemed officials, decision makers, experts, specialists, and international researchers participating in the summit. He emphasised that their participation, discussions, and contributions will provide valuable insights into the themes and topics of great importance and will contribute to achieving the summit’s main objectives of shaping the future of the global emergency and crisis management network.

Sheikh Tahnoun further stated that the 2023 Crisis and Emergency Management Summit aspires to bring together global efforts in the field of emergency and crisis management. He affirmed that the UAE, under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is committed to adopting the best practices in various administrative and community fields, including emergency and crisis management. The field is placed at the top of the UAE’s strategic priorities and planning processes.

Proactive plans

He also emphasised that emanating from the UAE’s wise leadership’s keenness to provide the highest levels of social wellbeing and stability, the National Crisis, Emergency and Disaster Management Authority has assumed responsibility to provide an integrated experience involving all government institutions where they prepare proactive plans and insights and develop pre-coordinated tools and techniques to manage various crises and emergencies.

“We would like to also shed light on the importance of collaborative engagement and coordinated readiness among the international community to cope with cross-border risks and disasters, which is a key axis to be addressed by CEMS 2023. The past few years had shown us the reality of what can happen when environmental, health and other issues spread rapidly across borders from one country to another, causing a worldwide problem that, if not dealt with in a timely manner by unified global efforts through practical and decisive action, could cause an excessive amount of damage,” Sheikh Tahnoun noted.

He added: “The UAE has always been a pioneer in philanthropic endeavours and has always sought to provide humanitarian assistance and emergency relief to those in crises, survivors of disasters and people in need around the world, consolidating the UAE’s leading position in various humanitarian arenas at regional and international levels.”

Importance of cooperation

Sheikh Tahnoun also pointed out: “We are all partners of one planet, whose nations and populations can be exposed to many forms of risk, disaster or turmoil, either natural or man-made, we must all join forces to proactively address those problems in order to preserve innocent lives and maintain the safety of our societies, our children and our future generations. To that end, solidarity and cooperation between governments, their institutions, and international bodies, is essential.”

Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed also highlighted the importance of proactive measures and future preparedness in emergency, crisis, and disaster management, as their repercussions could have detrimental effects on human life. He emphasised that the well-being of human beings is always the top priority of the UAE.

To this end, the UAE is committed to equipping its workforce with the necessary skills and training and providing a secure and dignified life for all residents. By doing so, the country is laying the groundwork for a safer future for generations to come, who might otherwise be affected by crises or disturbances of various kinds, he noted.

Sheikh Tahnoun expressed his hope that the Crisis and Emergency Management – Abu Dhabi 2023 will achieve its objectives and contribute to enhancing global readiness to anticipate future risks and threats. He expressed his desire to see the summit’s recommendations leading to greater resilience at the national and global levels, bringing the world together to collaborate on a unified strategy in response to the various threats that affect us all.