Cuba Gives Priority to Disaster Management

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 20 (acn) Cuba prioritizes the implementation of prevention through studies of hazard, vulnerability and risk of natural disasters, said today in this capital Major General Ramón Pardo Guerra, head of the National Staff of the Civil Defense (EMNDC by its Spanish acronym).

Strengthening the system of Civil Defense has the backing of the scientific potential of the country, added the also member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.

Pardo Guerra spoke at a workshop for fostering urban resilience of the major cities in the nation, which began its sessions at Neptuno Hotel in order to the execution of a project between the Institute of Physical Planning (IPF by its Spanish acronym) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

He noted the existence of progress in the reconciliation of land use and territorial planning, priority in urban areas due to being the most vulnerable because of their historical and patrimonial value and high population density , deteriorating of their infrastructure and low risk perception of their inhabitants before dangers.

Major General Samuel Rodiles Planas, President of IPF, said the meeting marks the beginning of a new process of joint work that will certainly increase the capacity to respond to possible disasters.

Armando González Muñiz, an expert from the IPF Directorate of Urban Planning and project coordinator, said when presenting it that it is expected the improvement of basic urban cadastral information of the main Cuban cities and about the influence of women in their daily chores.

According to González Muñiz, bodies of the central state administration are involved in the project, which will be analyzed in similar meetings next March in the municipalities of Santiago de Cuba, Bayamo (Granma), Guanabacoa and Centro Habana (Havana).