The state of Lebanon’s disaster readiness

Lebanon has faced an extraordinary succession of crises over the past years, ranging from devastating forest fires and the COVID-19 pandemic to the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, cholera outbreaks, armed conflict, and increasingly severe weather events. These emergencies have underscored the importance of having a coordinated national mechanism capable of preparing for disasters before they occur while ensuring an organized response when they do.

At the heart of these efforts is the National Disaster Risk Management Unit at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. In order to better understand its inner workings, The Beiruter reached out to Zahi Chahine, Head of the National Disaster Risk Management Unit, who discussed the Unit’s evolution, its major achievements, the challenges it continues to face, and why Lebanon urgently needs a comprehensive legal framework to strengthen national disaster governance.

From coordination project to national institution

According to Chahine, the Unit was created after two tragic events in 2010 exposed Lebanon’s lack of a coordinated disaster management system: the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash and the collapse of the Fassouh building in Achrafieh. Before that, he said

Lebanon lacked a national coordination mechanism for disaster management.

Established in 2010 through a partnership between the Lebanese government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Unit serves as Lebanon’s central coordination body for disaster risk management. While much of its work remains behind the scenes, its role has become increasingly critical as disasters have grown more frequent and complex.

At the same time, Lebanon had joined the United Nations’ Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015, committing itself to strengthening national disaster risk reduction capacities. With support from UNDP and international donors, work began on building a comprehensive national disaster management structure.

Between 2010 and 2018, Chahine noted that significant investments were made to establish the National Operations Room, operations rooms across several governorates, and emergency coordination centers within key ministries. Parallel efforts focused on training public sector personnel, forming disaster management committees within ministries and governorates, and introducing public officials to internationally recognized disaster management practices.

A major milestone came in 2019, when the Council of Ministers formally recognized the Disaster Risk Management Unit through Decision No. 3, placing it directly under the Prime Minister (PM). Chahine explained that this institutional positioning is essential because the PM is constitutionally responsible for coordinating among ministries and government administrations, making the Presidency of the Council of Ministers the most appropriate body to oversee national disaster coordination.

The Unit itself does not conduct field operations. Instead, it serves as the government’s coordination and advisory body, collecting and analyzing information, facilitating communication among public institutions, coordinating with international organizations, and advising the PM on disaster-related decisions.

Building a national culture of preparedness

Chahine believed that one of the Unit’s most significant achievements has been shifting Lebanon’s approach from reactive crisis management toward long-term preparedness.

Among its landmark accomplishments was the development of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and the National Response Plan (NRP). Rather than focusing on a single type of emergency, Chahine stated that the response plan clearly defines the responsibilities of every ministry, public institution, and government agency during different disasters.

Recognizing that a lengthy national document can be difficult to implement during emergencies, the plan includes concise annexes dedicated to specific hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and forest fires. These practical guides outline the responsibilities of each institution, allowing decision-makers to respond rapidly without uncertainty over institutional roles.

Chahine noted that these plans proved invaluable during COVID-19, the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, the cholera outbreak, and subsequent national emergencies. Although no disaster response can ever be perfect, the existence of predefined responsibilities significantly improved coordination and reduced confusion among public institutions.

Preparedness begins long before a disaster strikes.

The Unit also played a major role in strengthening Lebanon’s international engagement. Since joining the Hyogo Framework and later the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030), Chahine asserted that Lebanon has become an active participant in global disaster risk reduction initiatives and regularly contributes to international reporting and conferences.

From 2010 until 2022, Lebanon was widely regarded as one of the leading Arab countries in disaster risk management.

Although recent years have shifted national attention toward continuous emergency response, he believed the country’s previous progress can be rebuilt through renewed investment in preparedness.

Another important transformation has been the increasing use of digital technologies and evidence-based decision-making. During COVID-19 and subsequent crises, national digital platforms enabled authorities to collect real-time information on infection rates, displacement, humanitarian needs, and operational priorities, allowing policymakers to make faster and more informed decisions.

Perhaps the Unit’s most enduring achievement, however, has been institutional capacity building. According to Chahine, years of training have familiarized governors, ministers, directors general, and public officials with disaster management procedures, coordination mechanisms, and emergency response protocols; knowledge that continues to benefit Lebanon during every major crisis.

Today, decisions are based on data, not assumptions.

Significant gaps continue to limit progress

Despite these achievements, Chahine believed Lebanon’s disaster management system remains constrained by three major challenges.

The first is the absence of comprehensive legislation. While the Unit currently operates through government decisions and administrative decrees, Chahine noted that Lebanon still lacks a dedicated disaster management law defining institutional responsibilities, governance structures, and operational authorities. Several draft laws have been proposed over the past 20 years (including initiatives by the late MP Pierre Gemayel, former MP Mohammad Qabbani, and the Lebanese Forces parliamentary bloc) but none has been adopted by Parliament.

Chahine stressed that establishing a National Disaster Management Authority remains essential. Under this model, the existing Unit would continue serving as the Authority’s permanent secretariat and advisory body, operating year-round by monitoring risks, collecting information, coordinating among institutions, and keeping the PM informed. The Authority itself would be activated during major disasters to oversee national response efforts.

We need a law regulating this sector.

Financial limitations represent a second obstacle. Chahine observed that Lebanon still lacks a dedicated emergency fund that can be rapidly mobilized during crises, forcing authorities to rely on the budgets of other public institutions. He argued that establishing a permanent emergency financing mechanism would significantly strengthen national response capabilities.

We still lack a dedicated emergency budget.

Finally, Chahine highlighted that institutional reform requires political commitment. Effective disaster management depends not only on creating new institutions but also on granting them sufficient authority to coordinate government sectors and ensure that responsibilities are implemented consistently rather than through informal arrangements.

Without political will, there can be no progress.

A shared responsibility for resilience

Addressing citizens directly, Chahine stressed that disaster preparedness is a shared responsibility. Public awareness, respect for environmental regulations, avoiding illegal construction on riverbeds and flood channels, maintaining forests, and promptly reporting emergencies all contribute to reducing disaster risks.

Citizens play a crucial role in reporting what is happening on the ground.

At the same time, he said, citizens have every right to expect public institutions to fulfill their responsibilities efficiently and transparently.

Thus, while the National Disaster Risk Management Unit has laid the institutional foundations for coordinated preparedness and emergency response, its long-term effectiveness ultimately depends on stronger legislation, sustainable financing, and sustained political support. Strengthening these pillars would not only improve crisis response but also help transform disaster management into a proactive national policy that safeguards lives, infrastructure, and the country’s future resilience.