Qatar Selected as Head of Regional Group of Search and Rescue Teams for 2023

Qatar Ranked Safest Country 2022

The International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), affiliated with the United Nations, has selected the State of Qatar as the head of the regional group of search and rescue teams in the Middle East, Europe and Africa for the upcoming year 2023. This is in recognition of the important role played by Qatar International Search and Rescue Group for rapid response to a number of disasters around the world. 

This came during a news conference held in Geneva recently, on the eve of hosting the meeting of the leaders of INSARAG scheduled to be held in Doha today.   

During the news conference, Lieutenant-Colonel Mubarak Sherida Al-Kaabi, Leader of Qatar International Search and Rescue Group, said that the selection of the State of Qatar comes as recognition and appreciation by INSARAG for the important efforts made by Qatar International Search and Rescue Group over years, in terms of disaster response in the five continents. 

Qatar will host the meeting of the leaders of the United Nations' (UN) International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (Insarag) from March 7-11. This was announced during a press conference on Sunday.

Lieutenant-Colonel Al-Kaabi explained that above 65 participants from 33 countries will participate in the meeting, either by attending the meeting or virtually, representing INSARAG Secretariat and Working Groups, leaders of search and rescue, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Health Organization and other entities. 

“It will benefit the participants in future tasks while taking up efforts to develop global standards for the rapid response of international search and rescue teams during emergencies,” he added.

The official explained that a request was submitted by Qatar on the directives of HE the Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) Major-General Abdulaziz bin Faisal al-Thani to host the conference.

“The International Advisory Office for Search and Rescue Teams office welcomed Qatar's hosting of this meeting for the second time after 2014,” he furthered.

An accompanying event will be held on the sidelines of the meeting and it will be attended by a number of companies that have been invited to display the latest devices and equipment for search and rescue missions.

Lieutenant-Colonel al-Kaabi said joint exercises will be held on the first two days as part of the meeting with the aim of exchanging experiences and training on the latest methods of search and rescue missions.

Winston Chang, Insarag global lead and unit head, Emergency Response Section, said the meeting would enhance co-operation between the countries and strengthen ties while helping the member countries learn from each other. “Such initiatives help the members make the rescue mechanisms developed and effective,” he noted.

He praised the relief and rescue work it carried out during the past years, especially the great role played by the Qatari search and rescue team after the Beirut port explosion.

"The Qatari team has great capabilities that qualify it to carry out humanitarian tasks with high efficiency," Chang added.

Source: Hukoomi