Bhutan

Parliamentarian Disaster Risk Reduction Orientation workshop

9.25 – 9.35 am: UNRC Opening Remarks

Hon’ble Speaker, Jigme Tshultrim, National Assembly;
Hon’ble Members of Parliament,
Hon’ble Dasho Penden Wangchuk, Secretary, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs;
Mr Namgay Wangchuk, Director, Department of Disaster Management;
Dashos, Aums;
Other distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen,

The Royal Government of Bhutan launched its National Disaster Risk Management Framework on 5th September 2006, with the support of the UN System in Bhutan. The Framework spells out sectoral mandates and responsibilities to strengthen a systematic and effective approach in reducing the risk of disasters. The Disaster Management bill takes the Framework forward and strengthens Bhutan’s commitment towards disaster management. It is with great hope and optimism that the UN system looks at the passing of the DM bill, as we believe it will be instrumental in strengthening the mechanisms for relief, recovery and reconstruction, building on the momentum generated by the response to the floods and earthquakes last year.


In a country where institutional resources are limited, disasters call for national organizations to work collaboratively and in a manner that is well coordinated, systematic and predictable. This can also greatly facilitate the mobilization of support from the international community. At the national level, there is a strongly felt need for an efficient DM structure which can bring together multiple agencies, coordinate their functions, and maximize the use of their resources. The DM bill intends to clarify the roles and responsibilities of Government agencies; this should create a good foundation for a well-coordinated response. The bill should address disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness; as well as emergency response. We are pleased to note that the bill foresees all of this as well as the allocation of resources. This is particularly important when considering the burden on the Government’s 10th Five Year Plan last year to meet the recovery and reconstruction needs of the disaster affected districts.

In presenting the bill, the RGoB has followed a regional and global trend, which emphasizes institutional aspects of disaster management. It reflects a commitment which a large number of countries, including Bhutan, made while signing the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). The Hyogo Framework is an outcome of a global conference organized by the UN system to address the challenges arising from frequently devastating natural disasters all over the world. Its first priority is to ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and a local priority with a strong institutional basis for implementation.


True to the Hyogo spirit, a number of countries in South Asia have enacted disaster management legislation, and set up an elaborate institutional framework. Bhutan is set to join these countries through its own DM bill, in so doing Bhutan will ensure that the bill suits its own geographical, demographic and governance character.

The proposed DM bill seeks to decentralize disaster management down to the village level. Thus it strengthens governance and accountability in an area where the government has a very important role to play, and it expresses the national resolve to improve and strengthen Bhutan’s disaster preparedness, response, and mitigation.

Towards this end, the UN system is supporting the Royal Government in strengthening institutional capacity in disaster risk management at the national and local levels. This includes disaster response and preparedness as well as reducing climate change induced risks. At the recent SAARC Summit, the importance of addressing the climate change induced natural hazards was underlined. The Thimphu Statement commissions the setting up of a SAARC Inter-governmental initiative on climate-related disasters which calls for the integration of Climate Change Adaptation with Disaster Risk Reduction.  Here I would like to extend the support of the UN system, particularly to the Department of Disaster Management in mainstreaming climate and disaster risk reduction initiatives into sectoral development plans and policies.

Last year’s floods and earthquake underscore Bhutan’s growing vulnerability to the incidence of natural disasters, and the need to strengthen the institutional set up for disaster management in the country. The bill is an essential and welcome step in that direction and represents an important milestone in the country’s progress towards the achievement of HFA priorities. We truly appreciate these efforts and commit ourselves to continue to support the Royal Government.     

The Parliament too in its legislative capacity, has a key role to play in moving this agenda forward. We wish you fruitful deliberations.

Thank you.

Tashi Delek.