National Commission for Disaster Management – Afghanistan
The institutional arrangements proposed for Afghanistan, include a National Commission for Emergency and Disaster Management (referred to as National Commission hereafter) consisting of relevant ministries tasked to intervene in disaster situations by utilizing their existing structures and resources in a coordination fashion, an Executive Committee consisting of lead ministries, and Management office.
The National Commission is a fall national multicultural commission involved in setting policy direction for risk and vulnerability reduction with active participation of socio – economic, environmental, and governance sectors before and after disaster. Key lines ministries of the Commission will have technical units established to prepare for and respond to disaster, and will undertake their capacity building. The Vice-President is its Vice – chair. All Cabinet members are members of the National Commission
The functions of the National Commission are as follows:
- Identification and setting of strategic directions/measures for disaster reduction
- Approval of National financed preparedness plans, response, and reconstruction plans
- National Emergency Coordination (including emergency operations, response and international appeals)
- Declaration of state of Disaster or Emergency
- Development of National policies and contingency plans
- Management of funds provided for disaster relief purposes
- Mobilization of International Assistance in times of Major Emergencies
Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority’s Role in National Commission
To support the National Commission in fulfilling its responsibilities, an Emergency and Disaster Management Department called as Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) is established, equipped and staffed with the necessary professional technical, logistical and communication resources.
ANDMA consults with and supports the lead ministries involved in the various types of hazards confronting the country. It also coordinates regional activates and information and communication with regional centers.
Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) is housed at the EDMO Emergency Department Management Office and provides a command, coordination, and control center during times of emergency.
When regional National Emergency Operation centers are established in the future, the National center will become an Emergency Center working closely with regional and provincial NEOCs as appropriate.
In relation to humanitarian assistance during time of emergency, ANDMA advises the National Commission’s Executive Committee on priority areas for relief assistance. It carries out resource mobilization and fund raising activities, prepares regular reports for donors and NGOs, provides situation reports and communiqués, and liaises with international humanitarian organization.
ANDMA also works closely with donors to prepare proposals for rehabilitation and reconstruction, and support the National objectives for risk and vulnerability reduction. International aid agencies (multilateral, NGOs) are key stakeholders in the national disaster risk management program.
The National Commission, through ANDMA, will need to ensure that all externally assisted projects and program are coherent with and support the national risk reduction agenda, and are complementary in order to maximize international investment in this “sector”.
The key functions of ANDMA include:
- Information, research and networking
- Training
- Policy advice
- Coordination of relief and response
- Liaison with all national and International partners
- Financial reporting
- Operation of the National Emergency and Disaster Management Coordination Center
- Coordination with Regional operation centers
- Pro- active engagement, consultation and coordination with members of national commission at various level, through the ministerial focal points and technical units.
- Prevention and Mitigation
- Identification of hazards
- Determination of the levels of risk associated with those hazards
- Actions to reduce potential damage to life, property and the environment
- Legislation and its enforcement e.g. flood management, building regulations, fire safety codes, dangerous legislation etc
- Public education programs
- Structural and non-structural mitigation programs preparedness
- Preparation of disaster plans at national, provincial and local levels
- Provision of warning systems
- Training and education
- Encouraging individual and community self-reliance before, during and following an emergency
- Supporting the development and implementation of information management strategies which meet community needs for information before, during and after an emergency
- Optimum utilization of international assistance Response
- Identifying the level of response preparedness
- Preparing and maintaining operational response plans
- Testing and reviewing plans
- Ensuring effective operational coordination
- Optimum utilization of international assistance Recovery Advices on:
- The physical aspects of restoration and reconstruction of damaged community infrastructure
- The economic aspects of restoration of productivity and local employment
- The social, financial and psychological aspects of personal, family and community functioning
- Ensuring that lessons learnt form disasters are utilized to develop effective national policy for the future
- Optimum utilization of international assistance
- Applying disaster experience to future research and development programs
- Introducing good practice safety legislation or codes of practice