DRR under the leadership of local level: Home Minister Lekhak

Kathmandu, Aug 19: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that the disaster risk reduction is being carried out under the leadership of the local level governments in the country.

Inaugurating the 'Nepal Humanitarian Conference' that began in Kathmandu on Tuesday the occasion of World Humanitarian Day-2025, Home Minister Lekhak said that Nepal is prone to disasters due to its geographical location and hence the government has given high priority to its management. He said that the government is preparing for emergencies in partnership with different sectors, and by formulating necessary laws and policies for it.     

"The need of the hour is to empower local leadership and strengthen equal partnerships. Regional unity should be strengthened by empowering the humanitarian system," he said.     

Home Minister Lekhak said that in the context of depleting funding scenario transformation is necessary for disaster management around the world.     

At the program, Chief Executive Officer of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Dinesh Prasad Bhatta, said that it is necessary to empower local communities in disaster management, while sharing that 81 per cent of the rescues in disasters were done by local bodies and 18 per cent by security agencies.     

At the conference, NSET President Dr Amodmani Dixit, Executive Director and Conference Coordinator Suryanarayan Shrestha, DPNet President Raju Thapa, UN Resident Coordinator Hanna Singer, among others, emphasized necessary collaboration for promoting humanity.     

Inspiring stories of humanitarian assistance from Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan are being shared at the event, which also includes presentations on humanitarian rescue, assistance and local community-led disaster management by representatives from countries including Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines, according to NSET Structural Engineer Rabin Chaulagain.     

Representatives from 15 different countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as Australia and the US, are taking part in the conference organised by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. (RSS)