The Estonian government has recently approved a comprehensive framework document outlining the current state of the country’s crisis preparedness and its civil defence action plan for the next four years. The document details the objectives Estonia must meet over the next decade to ensure the functioning of the state and the population’s ability to cope in even the most widespread and challenging crises.
Key Areas of Development
The state will focus on several key areas for civil defence over the next four years, including:
Boosting people’s crisis awareness and independent readiness
Developing emergency warning solutions
Fostering the crisis capabilities of local governments
Enhancing continuity of service among agencies involved in dealing with crises
A Call for Preparedness
Erkki Tori, the director of the National Security and Defence Coordination Unit of the Government Office, emphasized the importance of preparedness. “Estonia is a great place to live, and a safe place to live, but given what is happening around the world we must be prepared to cope with both environmental and man-made crises,” Tori urged. He pointed to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as a stark reminder that society must be capable of functioning even in much larger crises, including war.
Tori stressed that for civil defence to function properly, people must be able to fend for themselves in a crisis, assisting one another until help arrives. This approach allows the state to focus on protecting those who are incapable of defending themselves.
Aiming for Increased Preparedness
Currently, only 15% of the population is fully prepared for a crisis. The government aims to increase this to at least 25% within the next four years, and 40% within the next decade. “At the same time, the state will be working to boost its own preparedness,” Tori added. The goal is to increase the state’s capacity to support the population in the event of a large-scale evacuation from the current 2% to 10% over the next decade.
Investment in National Defence
Earlier this year, the government approved a broad-ranging plan for investments in national defence and allocated an additional 32 million euros to agencies within the areas of administration of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Social Affairs. These funds will be used to enhance national defence capabilities, including civil defence activities, over the next four years.
Supporting Civil Defence
In support of civil defence development, the Estonian Stockpiling Agency was established in 2021. The agency is tasked with providing essential supplies such as fuel, medical supplies, and food in situations where people and agencies have run out of them or trade has been hindered.
This comprehensive plan reflects Estonia’s commitment to ensuring the safety and resilience of its population in the face of potential crises.
