The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in collaboration with the International Humanitarian City (IHC) in Dubai is hosting a seminar on ‘Improved Capacity – Reduced Risk’ taking place at the IHC, 11th -15th November 2013.

The seminar focuses on how preventive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) interventions can reduce damages caused by natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts and cyclones.

In recent years, the frequency and magnitude of natural hazards have increased, often causing catastrophic damages on people and property. To mitigate the adverse effects of natural hazards, individuals and societies need to develop resilience through preventative activities that reduce the consequences of disasters. Disaster Risk Reduction has therefore been identified as a priority for humanitarian and development actors, including the Norwegian Refugee Council.

With the recent establishment of the NRC office for the Gulf countries in Dubai located in IHC, this seminar also seeks to explore avenues of collaboration with potential partners in the region. The UAE and its many humanitarian foundations have asserted themselves as important humanitarian actors.

During the opening, the Norwegian Ambassador to UAE, Mr. Sten Anders Berge talked about the good relations with UAE and the positive prospects for further cooperation through this seminar.

Lars Bernd, Regional Programme officer for UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, talked about disaster risk challenges in the Arab region.

In the second segment of the program, Benedicte Giaever, Director for NRC Expert Deployment/NORCAP focused on the prospects of establishing partnerships with the UAE. Highlighting how one dollar invested in disaster risk reduction can save seven dollars in response when disaster strikes, she welcomed the UAE on board in the effort to bolster and improve collective efforts to develop more resilient societies.

NRC´s standby roster NORCAP has more than 20 years of experience in deploying expert personnel to UN partner organisations, to regional institutions and national governments. Yearly, NORCAP deploys around 600 experts to international operations. In the last two years, NORCAP has deployed DRR experts to UN organisations and national authorities, covering around 20 disaster prone countries.