The first South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise (SAADMEx -2015) hosted by Government of India, was successfully conducted . the National Capital Region. This exercise is being followed by a day-long SAARC Regional Workshop on Sharing Best Practices on “Disaster Risk Reduction” scheduled here tomorrow. The workshop is being coordinated by the National Disaster Management Authority and National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
The Regional Workshop will be inaugurated by Dr. P.K.Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India. This workshop is also an outcome of one of the announcements made at the Conference of Cabinet Secretaries of SAARC Nations. In these meetings held in 2014 and 2015, a need was felt to share best practices on disaster risk reduction and response at the regional level which would give each member nation an opportunity to know and learn from each other’s experience, progress and innovations on risk resilience and disaster preparedness.
The aim of the Regional workshop is to provide a platform to member countries for sharing best practices in the field of disaster risk reduction, experience sharing on Nepal Earthquake April 2015 as well as deliberating upon the outcomes of the SAADMEx.
The Prime Minister of India had stated at the last SAARC Summit in Kathmandu on 26th November 2014 that India’s expertise in disaster management would always be available to South Asia, and that, equally, as India reaches out to Indians caught in conflicts and disasters around the world, India would always be there for all South Asian citizens.
The dimensions, frequency, and complexity of natural disasters are increasing. No country is immune from this trend. In such a scenario – local, national, regional and international cooperation and coordination are more vital than ever before. The prevalent geo-climatic conditions as well as increased frequency of natural calamities in the SAARC Region, especially in the wake of the recent disasters in the region, calls for enhanced levels of preparedness and risk resilience as well as collaborative action amongst member countries to individually and jointly deal with such disaster situations to prevent loss of lives and assets.