UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced the award "Global Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction" during the opening ceremony of the 3rd conference on global platform for disaster risk reduction also attended by World Bank Director Sri Mulyani Indrawati here on Tuesday afternoon.
In his speech broadcast on the video, President Yudhoyono expressed gratitude to the UN for the award. "I accept this as recognition of the determination and hard work of all Indonesian in responding to the challenges of natural disasters," he said.
Yudhoyono said Indonesia is the most vulnerable country to natural disasters. "If there is something new in our short-, medium- and long-term strategies the long-term development will be disaster risk reduction," he said.
In 2007, Indonesia enacted a law making disaster risk reduction mandatory in all developments at factories, buildings, offices, schools, houses and other places, he said.
Disaster management is one of the activities which are high on the list of the government`s priorities. Since 2008 the budget allocations for disaster management has increased significantly, he said.
The UN secretary general announced the award before delegations from 82 countries. Seventeen of the delegations were led by ministers and minister-level officials. The conference brought together 2,500 participants from all over the world.
The Indonesian delegation to the meeting was led by Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Board (BNPB) Syamsul Maarif.
Ban Ki-moon said the award would hopefully encourage other nations to follow the Indonesian government`s success in promoting the people`s awareness of the need to prevent disasters and apply it in their effective national policies.
Dian Triansyah Djani, Indonesian permanent representative to the UN, WTO and other international organizations in Geneva, said the award is a form of the world community`s recognition of the Indonesian president`s leadership, commitment and dedication in overcoming natural disasters and his innovative efforts to reduce disaster risks.
Sri Mulyani said President Yudhoyono deserved to receive the award for his success in overcoming a wide range of challenges so far.
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Editor: Bambang
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
