UN Resident Coordinator's statement at quarter 3 of the Development Partners Committee meeting .

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since this is the first time we are having the Director-General of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Lt. Gen (Rtd) Brima Bureh Sesay as a lead discussant at DEPAC, let me use this moment to thank the Government of Sierra Leone for the establishment of the Agency about two years ago. Sierra Leone is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world in terms of health and climate-related emergencies and disasters.

According to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative Index 2018, Sierra Leone ranks 21st as the most climate-vulnerable country and the 50th least recovery country. Its terrestrial, coastal, and aquatic ecosystems, according to the UN Common Country Analysis, "are highly exposed to the potential impacts of climate change".

The establishment of the NDMA, therefore, in a country where climate change is one of the key factors that stand in the way of its environmental sustainability and where its contribution to the global greenhouse emission is low, is worthy of commendation. Additionally, its establishment with its broad mandate (from Disaster Risk Reduction to Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR), Recovery, Climate Change and Resilience) is a key government tool for disaster management as well as for linking humanitarian action and development.

For us in the UN, the decision also speaks to Sierra Leone's commitment to achieving the 2030 Agenda, particularly SDG 13- Climate Action. And for you, Hon Minister of Health and Sanitation, we also recognize the laudable efforts that continue to be made towards SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-Being and SDG 6 - Clean water and sanitation.

UN support to NDMA embodies the spirit of the UN reform, which optimizes financial resources through joint implementation and leverages UN expertise to increase the capacity of the new Agency. The UN advocated for and provided technical support to the National Flood Response Plan, affecting 25,000 people in vulnerable areas. To strengthen the capacities of NDMA, the UN also provided technical assistance through simulation exercises, digital crisis response tools and provided training on Sexual and Reproductive Health, psychosocial support, and protection during emergencies.

To prepare for floods, the UN supported the NDMA with assessment and registration tools and committed disaster response supplies as a contingency. We leveraged partnerships with development partners and other stakeholders on emergency preparedness and response, particularly in climate-related disasters. The UN is leading a series of climate action dialogues with the British High Commission and the European Union to complement the global UN Climate Change Conferences with this year's theme focused on financing climate interventions.

However, more needs to be done. The theme of today’s DEPAC meeting not only speaks to our current realities in Sierra Leone but is a move in the right direction to increase policy attention and coordination capacity on emergency preparedness and response. I look forward to our discussions that will be centred on the following questions:

• How is emergency preparedness being prioritized within policymaking across sectors, given the high probability of new humanitarian crises in the years ahead?
• What strategies and interventions are in place for ensuring national resilience in the face of increased frequency and severity of natural disasters and new public health threats?
• What needs to be done to develop a robust and functional national emergency early warning and monitoring system?

Let me end by emphasizing that without centralizing emergency preparedness and response within national development efforts, it would be difficult for Sierra Leone to actualize its development aspirations and progress towards the SDGs. It is, therefore, my hope that today’s DEPAC meeting will contribute to bringing greater policy focus backed with requisite financial and human resources to this key issue.

Thank you.