The Emirates News Agency reported that Ali Saeed Al Neyadi delivered his statement to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which carried the 2026 theme of resilience beginning at home. Al Neyadi stressed that genuine preparedness originates with individual awareness, family readiness and the combined roles of institutions and society at large. The chairman outlined how the UAE sustains its support for the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction through 2030 via a national approach centred on risk comprehension, strengthened governance, investment in readiness and improved response efficiency. This policy direction reflects the leadership’s focus on harmonising domestic priorities with global standards in the field.
Al Neyadi said the true strength of any nation lies not only in how swiftly it responds to crises but in how effectively it anticipates and mitigates them. He added that building resilience does not begin when a crisis occurs but before it, starting from a prepared home, an aware family and a society equipped with the knowledge and capacity for correct action. The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority will persist in refining an integrated proactive system for emergencies, crises and disasters while advancing the framework’s targets. Such efforts reinforce the country’s role in multilateral forums including the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction data shows that average global disaster-related mortality per 100,000 population fell 65 percent from 2.12 during 2005-2014 to 0.75 in the 2016-2025 period. A UNDRR assessment found the number of countries reporting national disaster risk reduction strategies rose from 56 in 2015 to 151 in 2026, illustrating wider adoption of anticipatory models that the UAE has long championed in the region. The authority has contributed through active involvement in G20 and BRICS working groups on disaster management as well as the Arab Group for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Al Neyadi reaffirmed that the UAE has consolidated its position on the global disaster risk reduction platform by driving multilateral cooperation and supporting full implementation of the Sendai Framework. These activities encompass capacity building, knowledge exchange and the promotion of innovative solutions that enhance preparedness across borders. The statement aligns with the authority’s ongoing work to update national strategies in response to shifting hazards linked to climate variability and urban expansion.
According to the chairman, the day’s theme underscores that resilience must be cultivated in advance through household and community levels rather than solely during emergencies. NCEMA has accordingly expanded public awareness initiatives, simulation exercises and partnerships that embed risk reduction into everyday practices. This whole-of-society method complements technological upgrades in monitoring and early warning that have strengthened overall national resilience.
World Bank analyses of disaster trends in the Middle East indicate rising economic losses from events such as floods and dust storms, a pattern that has prompted enhanced preventive investments across the Gulf. The UAE’s framework addresses these pressures by integrating risk considerations into development projects and critical infrastructure planning. Al Neyadi’s remarks on the international observance reinforce the authority’s pledge to sustain progress toward safer and more sustainable outcomes at both national and global scales.
