Within the activities of the "BuildEx 24" exhibition, a dialogue session was held today, Friday, bringing together the Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Muhammad Anjarani, and the Minister of Emergencies and Disaster Management, Raed Al-Saleh, titled "Joint Government Cooperation in Recovery and Disaster Management," with the participation of a number of journalists and content creators.
The session focused on prospects for joint government cooperation in the files of recovery, rubble removal, clearing war remnants, ending camps, and responding to natural disasters, forest fires, and floods, in a way that enhances coordination between ministries and governorates and contributes to accelerating the return of life to affected areas.
Anjarani: Strengthening the role of municipalities and empowering local communities
Minister of Local Administration and Environment Muhammad Anjarani, in a statement to SANA, emphasized the importance of strengthening the role of municipalities in the coming period to provide services to citizens, contributing to ending the camps file, securing the return of refugees, rehabilitating main infrastructure, and laying the foundations for the reconstruction process.
Anjarani pointed to the importance of joint work, coordination, and integration of roles among various ministries, which was evident in dealing with the rise in the Euphrates River level and fires, affirming that there is effective governmental coordination that is being enhanced through legislation, laws, and modern technical means.
Anjarani explained that the volume of rubble in Syria is no less dangerous than the disaster itself, noting that removal operations have begun using equipment available to the Ministry of Emergencies, in cooperation with various government agencies at the regional level, in addition to implementing projects in each city to recycle rubble and benefit from it.
He also stressed the importance of empowering local communities by opening roads, addressing municipal issues, encouraging citizens to participate in investment and tourism projects, and involving them in development processes and decision-making.
Al-Saleh: Removal of 130,000 landmines and 700,000 cubic meters of rubble
For his part, Minister of Emergencies and Disaster Management Raed Al-Saleh explained that dealing with the rise in the Euphrates River level was a model of joint work between ministries and government agencies through specialized teams and working groups, noting that the level of fires this year is lower compared to previous years.
Minister Al-Saleh affirmed that landmines and war remnants are among the most prominent challenges hindering the return of residents to their areas, indicating that disposing of these remnants requires many years, despite the existence of clear plans and priorities, and working to employ technology to accelerate detection and removal operations.
Al-Saleh revealed that the number of landmines removed during the past year reached about 130,000 mines, affirming that all locations mentioned in the maps available to the competent authorities have been dealt with.
He stressed the need to inform the relevant authorities of any suspected mine locations, explaining that landmine detection is one of the most dangerous operations, requiring specialized personnel and technical and non-technical survey procedures, in addition to using modern technologies and training specialized teams to detect buried landmines.
Al-Saleh stated that about 700,000 cubic meters of rubble have been removed and recycled, expecting to complete ongoing work in Lattakia countryside within the next month.
He added: The government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, will work to restore 60,000 homes over the next two years, prioritizing the areas of Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, Lattakia, and Damascus countryside, according to the needs of each area and priority sequence.
He explained that the recovery process begins with rubble removal, then infrastructure rehabilitation, leading to job creation and stimulation of economic stability, revealing a plan to close 100 camps within the next two weeks.
The Minister of Emergencies and Disaster Management affirmed working to enhance national capabilities in the field of prevention and disaster preparedness before they occur, by building an effective early warning system, noting that developing this system requires time and completing the necessary legislative and regulatory frameworks.
Calls to accelerate landmine removal and strengthen the role of the local community
The session witnessed discussions focusing on the necessity of removing landmines near residential areas, enhancing disaster prevention measures before they occur, observing environmental standards during rubble removal and recycling, in addition to accelerating response to fires, and supporting reconstruction and building projects.
Participants also stressed the importance of activating the role of the local community and involving it in decision-making, and strengthening the powers of municipal councils to positively reflect on development and recovery efforts.
"BuildEx 24" an international platform for construction and investment
The International BuildEx Exhibition for Construction and Building, in its twenty-fourth session, which began last Wednesday and concludes on the fourteenth of June, features 710 companies and 1,400 brands from 51 countries, making it one of the most prominent specialized exhibitions in the construction and building sector in the region.
The exhibition allows local, Arab, and international companies to showcase the latest products, technologies, and solutions in the fields of construction and building, engineering equipment, energy, and environment, and it also forms an important platform to enhance business partnerships, exchange expertise, and explore investment opportunities.
