The Syrian Ministry of Emergency launches an early warning system and smart safety applications.

In the context of efforts to enhance national safety and develop the emergency and disaster management system, Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disasters, Raed Al-Saleh, emphasized that the ministry is currently focusing on building the organizational framework and national policies to ensure a comprehensive and effective response to emergencies and disasters, whether natural or man-made, while setting advanced safety standards in coordination with relevant institutions and ministries. This came during the opening of the "Safe Syria" seminar organized by the ministry in collaboration with the Engineers Syndicate, the Arab Institute for Health and Occupational Safety Sciences, and the University of Damascus on the occasion of World Safety Day. Al-Saleh explained that the upcoming phase will focus on establishing a national early warning system linked to central and local operations rooms to reduce response time and improve decision-making, in addition to preparing the national emergency plan in coordination with governmental entities, civil society, and technical partners to clearly distribute roles during crises. He also revealed a plan to restructure the National Institute of Seismology to become the National Institute of Emergencies and Disasters, and to train local personnel capable of dealing with diverse and complex scenarios. Furthermore, the launch of an electronic application that responds to distress calls, identifies the locations of victims, and directs field teams automatically and immediately was announced, with efforts to integrate artificial intelligence and digital tools to enhance safety and reduce risks. The importance of developing safety procedures in public facilities and infrastructure projects, updating evacuation standards, and managing hazardous materials risks in coordination with relevant authorities was also emphasized. On the other hand, the President of the Syrian Engineers Syndicate, Malek Al-Hajj Ali, stated that the syndicate is a human and informational resource, working on preparing a safety code that complies with international standards to meet the reconstruction requirements in Syria, highlighting the importance of cooperation with the Ministry of Emergencies in this field. Additionally, the Director of the Arab Institute for Occupational Safety Sciences, Amar Al-Maghribi, mentioned through an online call that the institute aims to promote a safety culture in the Arab world through training programs, granting certificates to distinguished executive bodies, and organizing Arab competitions to enhance scientific research in occupational safety. Civil Defense Director Munir Mustafa affirmed that the circumstances in which the civil defense worked in the past years were exceptional, with the loss of more than 300 volunteers during their humanitarian duty, but thanks to their efforts, more than 128,000 people were rescued from under the rubble. Mustafa explained that the next phase is moving towards preventive work and enhancing a safety environment by applying professional standards and raising societal awareness of prevention principles and proper behavior. Everyone stressed the importance of partnership between governmental institutions, civil society, and relevant international entities to achieve a safe environment and enhance safety in various sectors during the reconstruction and recovery phase in Syria.