United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team for Disaster Preparedness Assessment concludes its mission in Palestine [EN/AR]

At the request of the State of Palestine and the UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator, a United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team for Disaster Preparedness Assessment has just concluded its mission in Palestine to review the national disaster management system. The mission reviewed existing national and local coordination structures, legal frameworks, and capacities for disaster preparedness, response and recovery. The UNDAC mission met with relevant authorities within the Government of Palestine, including the President’s Office, the Ministry of Planning and Administrative Development, and key line Ministries. as well as with Palestinian Civil Defense and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. It also met with international humanitarian and development agencies working on disaster preparedness. The mission included visits to Nablus, Jericho, Hebron, Ramallah and Gaza to review capacities to manage disasters and respond to emergencies and identify areas requiring strengthening.

Despite the vulnerabilities of the Palestinian communities and political complexities, the field visits revealed their resilience to cope with shocks and emergencies, especially in the Gaza Strip. The UNDAC mission actively consulted with civil society organizations, including the Al-Najjah University, refugee camps, UN agencies, other national and international partners active in this field. The mission was supported in country by UNDP and OCHA. “Considering the constraints and difficulties under which Palestinians live in the West Bank and Gaza, I am impressed with the level of resilience and ability to recover of the Palestinian communities, said Terje Skavdal, the UNDAC team leader of a 10 member expert mission.