Between September 14^th and 16^th, Dr. Jalal Dabbeek, Director of the Urban Planning and Disaster Risk Reduction Center at An-Najah and Vice President of the National Authority for Disaster Risk Mitigation in Palestine, participated in the First Meeting of Earthquakes and Natural Hazards Experts in the Arab World which was held in Rabat, Morocco. The Meeting aimed to engage the participants in cooperation and exchange of expertise regarding the study of earthquakes and natural hazards in the Arab world, in addition to exchange of ideas and reinforce coordination between the related institutions.

The work papers that the participants presented at the Meeting included scientific studies that focus on studying earthquakes and other natural disasters, as well as addressing the scientific, geographic and geological and environmental facts of the Arab world. The participants also discussed several issues including the fact that the majority of buildings and infrastructure in the Arab world are incompatible with the systems and codes of the earthquake and natural disaster-proof buildings and constructions.

Other issues included: The weak coordination between the related Arab research and scientific institutions, the weak public awareness among Arabs regarding natural hazards and how to deal with them, the insufficient media coverage and education regarding natural hazards and disasters risks. The seriousness of these issues arises from the fact that most Arab countries are located on seashores and coastlines where active seismic fault lines are present making preventive measures a must.

During the Meeting, Dr. Dabbeek presented a paper titled “Evaluation of Seismic Hazards and the Reduction of Disasters Risks in Palestine” in which he summarized the most important studies and activities that the seismic Engineering Unit at the Urban Planning and Disaster Risk Reduction Center has conducted at An-Najah.

In the final session of the Meeting a number of suggestions and recommendations were presented and discussed to be sent to the specialized official bodies in the Arab world so that they will be implemented on the ground through clear mechanisms based on and according to the concepts of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and the priorities of the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015): Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters and the Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020.

The participants called upon the Arab countries to reinforce their commitment to a comprehensive and integrated approach to disaster risk reduction with respect to all sectors. They also called upon research institutions to identify, detect and assess disasters risks and enhance early warning systems, in addition to the use of knowledge, innovation and education to promote the culture of safety and the ability to deal with disasters on all levels.

Moreover, the participants asked for more commitment on the part of construction companies to the standards and international criteria regarding the building of more disaster-proof constructions, in addition to inserting the disaster risk reduction into the plans and strategies of emergency preparation, response and recovery.

The Meeting was organized in cooperation between the Arabic Industrial, Development and Mining Organization and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the Scientific Institute at Mohammed V University at Agdal, Morocco, and the Association of Remote Sensing Centers in the Arab world. Directors, officials and experts in the field of earthquakes and natural hazards in the Arab world participated in the Meeting, in addition to the West Asia-United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).