NDMA leads disaster risk reduction efforts at regional, global levels

ISLAMABAD: Experts on disaster risk reduction have stressed the need for proactive disaster management and stronger regional cooperation.

Among them was M. Idrees Mehsud, Member Disaster Risk Reduction at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), who said the NDMA represented the government’s resilience-building agenda and was leading disaster risk reduction efforts not only in Pakistan but also at regional and global levels. 

Speaking in Pakistan TV’s programme ‘World This Morning’, Mehsud said Pakistan has shifted from a reactive to a proactive approach by establishing strong institutional mechanisms, including the National Emergencies Operations Centre and the Centre of Excellence for Training and Capacity Building.

He said a high-level working group meeting was held ahead of the 10th ECO Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, scheduled for January 22 in Islamabad. 

The meeting finalised the regional Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Framework for 2025-2030 and prepared the Islamabad Declaration, which would guide regional cooperation in the coming years.

Mehsud said Pakistan has offered its emergency operations centre and training facilities as regional hubs for ECO-member states. 

Speaking in the programme, Prof Dr Orhan Tatar, General Director of Earthquake and Risk Reduction at AFAD Turkiye, thanked the people and government of Pakistan for their solidarity and assistance following the devastating February 6, 2023 earthquakes in Turkiye, which claimed nearly 54,000 lives.

Dr Tatar said the tragedy prompted Turkiye to significantly expand its disaster management capacities and place stronger emphasis on disaster risk reduction. He said Turkiye has completed one of the world’s largest post-earthquake recovery efforts, constructing and handing over 455,000 permanent housing units across 18 provinces.

Highlighting that Turkiye, Pakistan and Iran lie on the same Alpide-Himalayan earthquake belt, he stressed the need for strong regional cooperation. 

Dr Tatar said AFAD proposed establishing a joint regional seismic data centre and enhancing collaboration on early warning systems for earthquakes, landslides and floods.

Director at the ECO Secretariat Dr Husnu Tekin said disaster risk reduction remains a top priority for the Economic Cooperation Organisation, which comprises 10 member states, including Pakistan.

Dr Tekin said the meeting reviewed and updated the ECO Regional Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction, first adopted in 2021, for the next five years. 

He said the ECO region is among the most disaster-prone in the world, facing earthquakes, floods and other hazards.

He said the revised framework and the Islamabad Declaration were finalised for adoption at the ministerial meeting. 

Dr Tekin also announced the launch of a children’s disaster awareness animation, developed with UNICEF Tajikistan, to promote preparedness across ECO-member states.