(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA
Doha: The meeting of the leaders of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), organised by the Lekhwiya Force, began in Doha yesterday and will last for three days, with the participation of representatives from 33 countries.
The meeting aims to enhance effective communication between international search and rescue teams, exchange experiences and best practices, identify mechanisms for developing unified global standards for capacities related to international preparedness and response to disasters, and to support the capabilities of countries exposed to natural and unnatural hazards.
In his speech during the opening session, Head of the Legal Affairs Department of Lekhwiya Brig Gen Ibrahim Khalil Al Mohannadi confirmed that said Qatar hosted the INSARAG meeting for the second time after the 2014 meeting is an indication of the country's interest and contribution to responding to the growing humanitarian needs in the world, under the wise guidance of the country's wise leadership.
He said that Qatar is one of the first countries to contribute to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to enable the United Nations to implement international programmes and provide humanitarian relief to the needy and to various countries facing challenges to help them implement their development plans.
Brig. Gen Al Mohannadi added that the current meeting was different from previous meetings as it comes after physical meetings were not possible for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the leaders of the research teams to organize remote meetings.
He also pointed out that the meeting coincides with the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of INSARAG, which includes more than 90 countries and organizations specialized in issues related to urban search and rescue.
He stated that the meeting seeks to enhance coordination and cooperation between international search and rescue teams in case of disasters, develop effective international procedures and standards, enhance activities to improve their preparedness in their operations in disaster-prone countries, develop standardised guidelines and procedures, and learn about best practices and experiences in this regard.
In separate press statements on the sidelines of the meeting, Brig Gen Al Mohannadi confirmed that the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group of Lekhwiya accumulated experiences as a result of the many participations at the regional and international levels, and this meeting is an opportunity to develop partnerships and benefit from the expertise of the various teams.
In turn, Commander of the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group Lt Col Mubarak Sherida Al Kaabi said during the opening that the working groups of the international search and rescue teams held during the past two days a series of meetings to discuss many topics to reach the best lessons learned during the past 30 months and develop them appropriately for the leaders' meetings.
Meanwhile, Winston Chang, head of INSARAG Secretariat at the Emergency Response Support Branch Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the Doha meeting was the first in-person meeting for INSARAG since their meeting in Chile back in 2019. He highlighted the importance of this meeting in coordinating joint humanitarian efforts in facing crises around the world, particularly ones related to epidemics and climate change.
He added that the distinguished performance of the group was a contributor to its choice as a regional leader for search and rescue groups in the EMEA region next year, thanks to its rapid response to and good management of several international crises.
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