Strengthening Human Security By Enhancing Resilience To Natural Disasters And Climate Related Threats In Ngororero District

Rwanda’s Development Framework and Key Priorities.The first Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS I) was adopted by the Government of Rwanda in September 2007 to guide Rwanda’s medium-term development ambitions from 2008-2012. The EDPRS is Rwanda’s strategy to boost economic growth and improve the well-being of all citizens. The adoption of EDPRS made it possible for Rwanda to register its fastest period of growth and socio-economic progress in the history of the country. The current development agenda and priorities of the country (as stipulated in EDPRS II and revised Vision 2020) build on the gains achieved and aim at accelerating this growth by sustaining key foundations and milestones accomplished by EDPRS I. Disaster Risk Management (DRM) has been mainstreamed and highlighted in the EDPRS II (2013-2018) as a cross cutting issue, focusing on investments in rapid response, disaster management equipment, early warning systems, and awareness campaigns directed at residents of vulnerable areas. EDPRS II reiterates its recognition of the serious threat of climate change and disaster risks in the country. This highlights the importance and relevance of mainstreaming DRM into development programmes and all sector strategies as key to preserving the significant development gains achieved and to avoid any setbacks while pursuing accelerated sustainable development and transformation under EDPRS II. The analytical framework of key development programmes of the Government has consistently emphasized that disaster and climate change risks are real and an ever growing concern in Rwanda which could erode key development gains achieved over the past years and may further impede achievement of the remaining key development goals such as the MDGs and the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) priorities. In support of the important country’s medium-term plan (EDPRS II), the One UN Rwanda will contribute to and support Humanitarian Response and Disaster Management. The One UN aims at supporting the GoR in strengthening National disaster management institutions in the areas of early warning systems, risk identification, assessment, mapping and response.