Mexico marks 30 years of progress
GENEVA, September 21, 2015 - The head of UNISDR, Margareta Wahlström, praised Mexico for its commitment to reducing disaster losses and avoiding the creation of new risk, during talks with the government and in a speech to mark the 30th anniversary of the deadly 1985 earthquake on Saturday.
September 19 also saw the activation of a new Seismic Warning System operated through 8,200 loudspeakers, to familiarize citizens with the sound of alerts which give residents up to 50 seconds notice of earthquakes. The alerts are also sent to mobile phones and other devices.
For the first time, Mexico City and the Federal Government cooperated on a national earthquake simulation which involved some 80,000 public employees, 26 government agencies and the Federal Police.
Speaking at the National Civil Protection Awards ceremony, Ms. Wahlström said that since the 1985 earthquake Mexico has emerged as a leader in the field of disaster risk reduction notably through the creation of the National Civil Protection System, the development of a national risk atlas, a programme for safe schools and hospitals, investment in risk reduction, a General Law for Civil Protection, early warning systems and cooperation between the private sector and civil society at community level.
She said that over the 30 years since the September 19 earthquake, the frequency and intensity of disasters had increased worldwide. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, adopted in March this year, was a watershed in how we manage disaster risk in the context of sustainable development and climate change.
Ms. Wahlström concluded by stating: “We know that we can count on Mexico as an ally and friend in contributing decisively to the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda, and in making the world more resilient to disasters.”
President Nieto recalled that in 1985 Mexico had no laws, regulations or protocols to allow immediate and coordinated response to the disaster and much progress has been made since. He also expressed Mexico’s interest in hosting the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2017.
They both attended the National Civil Protection Awards ceremony which honoured five helicopter crew members who died in a search and rescue mission following the Ingrid and Manuel storms in 2013.
The Civil Protection Unit of the State of Queretaro was honoured for its work in prevention for the project “Querepolis: the City of Prevention”, a thematic park focussed on teaching children about disaster risk reduction.
Speaking at the ceremony, National Civil Protection Coordinator, Señor Luis Felipe Puente Espinosa, highlighted the strong collaboration with UNISDR and Mexico’s commitment to implementation of the Sendai Framework following the country’s strong participation in the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction where it was adopted in March this year.
At bilateral meeting with President Peña Nieto and Señor Luis Felipe Puente and Minister for the Interior, Señor Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, Mexico expressed its full support to implementation of the Sendai Framework and its interest to take a leading role in UNISDR’s initiative on tourism safety. Ms. Wahlström also met with Vice Minister for Multilateral Affairs, Amb. Miguel Ruiz Cabañas, who renewed expressions of support for UNISDR.