Thanks to the implementation of the recommendations of the Accounting Chamber, the coordination of rescue services of the State Emergency Service has been improved

All territorial bodies of the civil protection forces of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (hereinafter - SES) have completed the deployment of digital radio communication, which has improved the coordination of rescue services.  

These and other measures were taken to implement the recommendations of the Accounting Chamber, provided based on the results of the performance audit on the topic of «Reducing Disaster Risks – measures for adaptation to climate change», which covered the period 2022-2023.

The audit showed that the existing disaster risk management system in Ukraine is insufficient to ensure proper coordination between state institutions, local executive bodies and the public and is aimed primarily at  responding to the consequences of disasters, rather than preventing them. Disaster risk assessment in Ukraine is carried out irregularly and only in certain regions. Public awareness and citizen participation in disaster risk reduction issues are also insufficient.

It was also found that digital radio communication systems at the regional level have been deployed in only 13 out of 25 territorial bodies of the State Emergency Service, and the effectiveness of mechanisms for providing assistance to the population is limited.

To eliminate these and other shortcomings, the Accounting Chamber provided 18 recommendations to the audited entities.

Currently, in accordance with the recommendations of the Accounting Chamber, the deployment of digital radio communication systems at the regional level by all territorial bodies of the State Emergency Service has been completed.

Work on the implementation of other recommendations is also ongoing. In particular, it is planned to:

- implement new mechanisms for exchanging information between the State Agency of Water Resources of Ukraine and the State Emergency Service regarding emergencies related to the water factor;

- introduce regular publications on the official website of the State Emergency Service and pages on social networks of warnings about stormy weather, flood risks and other dangerous phenomena to ensure timely access of citizens to such information;

- develop a mobile application for the prompt dissemination of information about dangerous and natural meteorological phenomena among the population, etc.

The Accounting Chamber will continue to monitor the implementation of the recommendations and inform the public about their implementation.

For reference. Performance audit on the topic of «Disaster risk reduction – climate change adaptation measures» conducted as part of the Global Joint Audit of Climate Change Adaptation, initiated by the INTOSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing (INTOSAI WGEA) in conjunction with the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI).