Description:

The project “Strengthening the Disaster Mitigation and Management System in Mongolia” has been implemented by the national disaster management authority since 2002, and is currently in its third phase. The overall project goal is to contribute to the sustainability of the country’s development gains by reducing risks and vulnerabilities through enhanced government capacity, and wider partnerships with other sectors and regions.

About the current phase of the project:

Phase III project will be implemented from 2008 to 2011 with kind financing by the Government of Luxembourg of USD 1.3 million and by UNDP of USD 0.7 million. 
The principal objective of the Phase III is to support the implementation of the long-term disaster risk management strategy of Mongolia to minimize vulnerability, improve preparedness, enhance institutional capacity for disaster management and emergency response, and assist in adapting to climate change that adversely affects sustainable development of the country, especially those in the rural environments. Within this objective, the project has the following three Outcomes:

Outcome 1: Professional capacities of the National Emergency Management Agency and branches to respond to emergencies enhanced
Outcome 2: Increased awareness for disaster risk reduction through strengthened partnerships
Outcome 3: National capacity for climate resilience and adaptation to reduce disaster risks strengthened

Project Strategy:

The strategy to achieve the project objective has been defined as follows:

1. Build partnerships for disaster risk reduction
2. Address the distinctive hazard risks and the resulting differing needs in rural and urban settings
3. Build disaster risk reduction capacity in each region:
4. Support the achievement of MDGs and poverty alleviation in Mongolia
5. Facilitate gender mainstreaming in disaster risk reduction
6. Assist adaptation of vulnerable communities to climate change for their disaster resilience
7. Maintain a multi-hazard approach
8. Build the capacity of UNDP Country Office

Target area:

To achieve the project goal and objectives, Phase III will target its assistance to all branches of NEMA in 21 aimags and 9 districts of the capital city.
The community based disaster management component of the project was successfully piloted in 8 soums of 4 aimags in the second phase of the project. In addition to these soums and building on the previous success and experience, the third phase of the project has expanded the community based disaster management component to include 4 new soums in 2 new aimags and 2 districts in Ulaanbaatar. The target areas for this phase are listed below:

1. Khovd (Munkhkhairkhan, Bulgan)
2. Zavkhan (Numrug, Tsagaanchuluut)
3. Khentii (Binder, Jargaltkhaan)
4. Dundgovi (Bayanjargal, Govi-Ugtaal)
5. Bulgan (Teshig, Saikhan, Selenge)
6. Huvsgul (Erdenebulgan)
7. Ulaanbaatar (4th Khoroo of Songinokhairkhan district, 17th Khoroo of Chingeltei district)

Achievements of the previous phases:

Phases I and II of the project were completed successfully in 2002-2004, and 2005-2007. The main achievement of the project during these phases was the establishment of a solid disaster management system in Mongolia to approach the existing international standard – “Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters”. The following were the main results:

1. A comprehensive legal framework for disaster management was created
2. Facilitated the creation of the National Disaster Management Agency (current National Emergency Management Agency) in 2004 combining the Board of Civil Defense, the State Reserve Agency, and the Fire Fighting Agency into a single civil organization
3. Continuously supported enhancement  of capacity of the National Emergency Management Agency
4. Formulated the “National Framework for Action 2006-2015: Strengthening the Disaster Risk Reduction in Mongolia”
5. Herder groups were created for disaster risk reduction at local level and were supported through small grants for community based disaster management activities
6. Disaster Risk Reduction Councils were introduced at soum and aimag levels in project target areas
7. Made tangible contribution to the alleviation of poverty, environmental protection, and development of good governance

Contact
Telephone:          +976-11-315595
Fax:                    +976-11-315595
Email:                 secretary@mongoliadisaster.org
Address:           UNDP Project MON/08/305 “Strengthening the Disaster Mitigation and Management System in Mongolia”, Room 302, National Emergency Management Agency, Partizan’s Street-6, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia