National Disasters Management Institute

National Disasters Management Institute
Instituto Nacional de Gestão de Calamidades
Agency overview
Formed1999
JurisdictionMozambique
Agency executive
  • Joao Ribeiro, Director
Parent agencyMinistry of State Administration
Websitehttp://www.ingc.gov.mz/

The National Disasters Management Institute (Portuguese: Instituto Nacional de Gestão de Calamidades, INGC) is the disaster relief agency of Mozambique.

History

The INGC was formed in 1999[1] by Government decree no. 37[2] and operates under the Ministry of State Administration (MAE).[3][4] Prior to its creation, disaster management in Mozambique was under the purview of the Department for the Prevention and Combat of Natural Disasters (Portuguese: Departamento de Prevenção e Combate as Calamidades Naturais, DPCCN),[2] a subunit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation that mainly served as a "distributing agency for external aid".[5] In contrast to its predecessor, the INGC was geared more toward coordination of disaster management efforts than delivery of foreign aid.[2]

As of March 10, 2008, Joao Ribeiro was the director of the INGC.[6] He was formerly the institute's deputy director[7] and replaced Paulo Zucula, who was "widely praised" for his leadership of the INGC, when Zucula was appointed Minister of Transport and Communication.[8]

Activities

The INGC is responsible for conducting mitigation efforts (such as collection and analysis of data),[9][10] undertaking preparedness measures (e.g. awareness campaigns),[10][11][12] and coordinating disaster response (including distribution of food, tents, and other supplies).[13][14] Since June 2008 it is also responsible, through the Reconstruction Coordination Office (GACOR), for the resettlement of persons displaced by natural disasters.[15] The INGC prepares for and responds to both natural disasters, such as droughts,[16] floods,[11] and tropical cyclones[5]—the three natural hazards to which Mozambique is most vulnerable[17]—and man-made disasters, such as the 2008 South Africa riots.[18]

The INGC coordinates disaster management efforts with and receives support from public and private institutions, non-governmental organisations, and international organisations,[19] including Concern Worldwide,[20] the government of Germany,[21] and the United Nations.[22] Ad Melkert, the Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, which provides assistance to the INGC through its Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery,[23] lauded the institute in March 2008 as "an example of effective management of natural disasters".[24] It received "unanimous" praise from international organisations for its response to the 2007 Mozambican flood.[5]

References

  1. ^ Borges-Coelho, João & Gary M. Littlejohn. "Mozambique Country Case Study: Impacts and Responses to the 1997-98 El Niño Event". University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  2. ^ a b c "Section I: The Mozambique country case study" (PDF). South African Regional Poverty Network. April 2005. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-01-01. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  3. ^ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2007-02-12). "Mozambique: Floods OCHA Situation Report No. 3". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  4. ^ "Mozambique: national inventory of social protection policies, institutions and frameworks" (PDF). Regional Hunger and Vulnerability Programme. January 2007. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  5. ^ a b c Foley, Conor (2007-05-31). "Preparation is everything". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  6. ^ "Cyclone Jokwe lashes northern Mozambique, leaves 7 people dead". International Herald Tribune. 2008-03-10. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  7. ^ "Mozambique faces flood fury". Al Jazeera English. 2008-01-17. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  8. ^ "Mozambique: Guebuza Reshuffles Government". Mozambique News Agency (reproduced by AllAfrica.com). 2008-03-11. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  9. ^ United Nations Development Programme (2006). Mozambique National Human Development Report 2005: Human Development to 2015, Reaching for the Millenium Development Goals. p. 71. Retrieved 2008-09-01.[dead link‍]
  10. ^ a b United Nations Children's Fund (2007). "UNICEF Humanitarian Action: Mozambique in 2007" (PDF). United Nations Children's Fund. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  11. ^ a b "Army called for Mozambique floods". BBC News. 2007-02-08. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  12. ^ Ayisi, Ruth Ansah (2007-03-20). "Mozambique learns from the past". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  13. ^ "Strategic Plan for Malaria Control in Mozambique" (PDF). Ministry of Health, Republic of Mozambique. July 2006. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-09-13. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  14. ^ "Mozambique: Population Movement" (PDF). International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. 2008-05-27. p. 2. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  15. ^ "Reconstruction coordination office created". Mozambique News Agency, No. 361. 2008-06-24. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  16. ^ "Hunger deepens in southern Africa". Southern Africa Documentation and Cooperation Centre. 2002-03-12. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  17. ^ "Mozambique". Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery. United Nations Development Programme. Archived from the original on August 18, 2005. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  18. ^ "S.Africa apologises for attacks on Mozambicans". Reuters. 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  19. ^ Hahn, Micah (October 2007). "Mozambique: Northern Inhambane case study" (PDF). Center for International Environmental Law. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  20. ^ "Mozambique". Where we work. Concern Worldwide. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  21. ^ "Germany and Mozambique expand their cooperation" (Press release). Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development. 2007-02-22. Archived from the original on 2007-08-11. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  22. ^ "Mozambique on the right path to development, but obstacles still exist". United Nations Development Programme. 2008-03-29. Archived from the original on 2008-06-11. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  23. ^ "UN Strengthens Government's Early Recovery Coordination Capacity in Mozambique" (Press release). United Nations Development Programme. 2007-03-07. Archived from the original on 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  24. ^ "Guebuza Receives UNDP Associate Administrator". United Nations Development Programme. 2008-03-29. Archived from the original on 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2008-09-01.