Speech by the President of the General Assembly of the International Civil Defense Organization on the occasion of World Civil Defense Day 2024

 

Dear colleagues and friends,

 

On this occasion of  the  World Civil Protection Day, I would like first to extend my sincere greetings and sincere thanks to the Member States of the International Civil Defense Organization and to all actors in the field of civil protection for their continued efforts in enhancing safety and security around the world and to appreciate Cooperation and coordination between the bodies of the International Civil Defense Organization (from the General Secretariat, Executive Council, General Assembly and the countries under its umbrella in order to achieve the noble goals that they all seek, and I stress the importance of continuing these joint efforts in building a better and sustainable future for all.

 

 

In this context, I cannot help but stand today in appreciation and gratitude for the men and women of civil protection and civil defense around the world and extend my sincere thanks to them for what they have provided and what they are providing to their countries and to humanity in terms of sacrifices and services with all professionalism and courage.

They embodied the meanings of humanity by joining to saving lives in the face of dangers and disasters.

In this context, I cannot fail to offer my condolences to the souls of our colleagues who were martyred in order to save other lives, their names immortalized in golden letters in the register of martyrs of duty.

 

Hazards and disasters do not recognize borders and do not differentiate between gender, color, or between young and old. Over the past year, the world has witnessed several disasters and incidents, including earthquakes, floods, forest fires, violent storms, and wars...which have left thousands of deaths, injuries, and homeless people without shelter, not to mention the losses in the infrastructure, which negatively affects any country, regardless of its strength and financial savings, and since our countries are not immune from these disasters and accidents, and given that protecting people, property, and the environment is a task that falls primarily on the responsibility of civil protection and civil defense agencies, we must work to develop Programs and developing plans to confront them, reduce their severity, and prepare for them by keeping pace with the technological developments taking place in the world, which will allow the development of our preventive systems, strengthen our practical and scientific capabilities, and qualify and train our agents to confront these dangers and

reducing its impact on lives, property, and the environment.

 

The rapid transformations that the world is witnessing today in the various sectors and fields of civil protection and civil defense require us to work diligently side by side in order to keep pace with these changes, realize their dimensions, and raise their challenges, as this requires showing sincere determination, a spirit of initiative, and unifying the word within the framework of the aspirations that unite us.

 

In this context, the slogan “Innovative Technologies in the Civil Protection Service” was chosen to be the slogan for World Civil Protection Day for the year 2024, given the rapid progress of technology and severe climate changes that the world is witnessing, as the use of innovative technologies in the field of civil protection has brought about a radical shift in how accidents and disasters are dealt with. These innovative technologies contribute to improving risk prediction and facilitating relief and rescue operations, which enhances our ability to adapt to changing challenges and improve our emergency response.

 

The slogan of World Civil Protection Day for the year 2024 embodies a promising future vision, based on relying on innovative technologies as an essential element in building resistant societies capable of dealing with urgent challenges quickly and effectively, as the importance of the pivotal role of innovative technologies in enhancing the proactive capabilities of civil protection and civil defense is evident. In the era of digital transformation, innovative technologies have become an indispensable pillar in enhancing our confrontational preparedness.

Increasing natural and human challenges are mainly reflected in ongoing developments in areas such as artificial intelligence,big data analytics and new technologies in communications , all of which contribute to improving communication mechanisms to respond to disasters and crises more effectively.

 

The use of innovative technologies in this context represents a decisive step towards achieving the goals of civil security and safety, and enhancing the ability to adapt to future challenges that may face our societies. This slogan also highlights the importance of exchanging knowledge and expertise in the field of technology between countries and international organizations, This cooperation can contributes to enhancing capabilities and developing innovative solutions that enhance the status of civil protection and civil defense at both levels

National and international.

 

In this context, I call on all countries and relevant organizations to intensify their efforts in exploring and applying modern and innovative technology in the field of civil protection to enhance preparedness and response to various accidents and disasters, whether natural or manmade disaster, and to work in a unified and integrated manner to invest their energies and resources in improving and developing technical capabilities to enhance the effectiveness of civil protection and civil defense in various parts of the world.