Setting up a regional network for disaster risk management in Southeast and South Asia

The workshop in Yogyakarta brought together representatives from academia, UN organizations, governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as the private sector from ten countries with the aim to establishing a regional network for disaster risk management in Southeast and South Asia. The main objectives of the workshop were to define common areas of interest in the field of disaster risk management, to set up an agenda for joined activities in research, higher education and capacity development, and to provide a communication platform for the network.

Dr. Irene Jansen from the DAAD regional office in Jakarta joined the third day of the meeting and gave an overview of DAAD activities in Southeast Asia as well as schemes for co-operation and examples of good practices. The participants defined the Eco-DRR approach and multi-hazard assessments as areas that should be given highest priority in the start-up phase of the network, and agreed that w a special focus should be put on the development of early warning systems and the enhancement of community resilience. As an initial step, country coordinators have been nominated, which will take the responsibility to develop country profiles and collect CV´s of the network members. Cologne University of Applied Sciences will create a webpage and provide space for communication on the CNRD Virtual Center.

As follow-up activities the preparation of guidelines for Eco-DRR and the development of DRR case studies from the network member countries have been put on the agenda. Thanks to the team of the Faculty of Geography at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta the workshop was perfectly organized and due to the outstanding hospitality of the hosts, the workshop took place in a very constructive and friendly atmosphere.

Written by: Nauman Haque, Communications & Knowledge Manager, ICCCAD November Newsletter 2013