The president of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (INGD) defended last Wednesday in Bali, Indonesia, the need to convert natural disasters into development opportunities.

Luísa Meque led the delegation of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (INGD) at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Bali, Indonesia. Meque conveyed Mozambique's experience in managing extreme events and stressed that disasters should gradually stop being a problem and become an opportunity for sustainable socio-economic development.

Meque Indicated that the replacement of infrastructure damaged by a disaster must meet standards that allow it to stand firm in the face of any extreme events that may occur.

"That is the resilience to extreme events that we want and must build," said Luisa Meque.

The INGD helmswoman reminded those present at the conference that Mozambique is now recovering from the impacts of Tropical Storm ANA, Tropical Depression Dumako and Cyclone Gombe, phenomena that occurred during the 2021/2022 rainy and cyclonic season.

"INGD responded to these events with an intense program of humanitarian assistance," said Luísa Celma Meque, who thanked the various partners for their cooperation, some of whom were present at the conference.

Present at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction were, among other figures, the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, and the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed.

The event, which ran from the 23rd and ended this Saturday, brought together global leaders to discuss issues of mitigation and prevention as well as building more resilient societies. According to the president of the General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, disaster risk prevention and reduction must be geared towards saving lives and ensuring a sustainable future for all.

Abdulla Shahid noted that the most vulnerable people suffer the most from the impacts of episodes like Covid-19 and climate change. Therefore, he argued that it is essential that reconstruction focus on the most resilient societies.

"All initiatives must be thought through and implemented to reduce wealth, reinforcing that climate disasters are expected to increase and that the results of the war in Ukraine are expected to accelerate food insecurity in the world," he said. Shahid said he believed in the need for work to address existing vulnerabilities while mitigating shocks that may still arise.