Source: UN Development Programme
Country: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan
The 4th Regional Technical Group meeting on Disaster Management under the Heart of Asia regional cooperation initiative resulted in the development of a Confidence-Building Measure Road Map to support disaster risk reduction.The Fourth Regional Technical Group meeting on Disaster Management under the Heart of Asia regional cooperation initiative took place today, and resulted in the development of a Confidence-Building Measure (CBM) Road Map for Heart of Asia Countries. The meeting was attended by representatives from all 14 participating countries and six supporting countries. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was a technical partner for the meeting, and Mr Sartaj Aziz, the adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security, was in attendance as chief guest.

“Pakistan and other Heart of Asia countries are facing many challenges related to climate change and appropriate measures must be taken to tackle the problem effectively,” said Major General Asghar Nawaz, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). He emphasized the importance of long-term solutions for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and efforts that can be initiated across borders between Heart of Asia countries.

Sartaj Aziz said that the threat of natural disasters caused by climate change had demonstrated the importance of disaster management CBMs. He added that regional cooperation was crucial in combating the potential impacts of climate change and in supporting disaster risk reduction, especially at the regional level.

“The countries that are part of the Heart of Asia process share the same geophysical and meteorological risks, including extreme weather. Strong evidence from the past decade shows how climate change will exacerbate those risks and these threats undermine sustainable development,” said Marc-Andre Franche, Country Director of UNDP in Pakistan.

UNDP believes disaster reduction is key to supporting development, and helps NDMA implement its National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy and Plan at the national and sub-national levels. Through its Disaster Risk Reduction in Pakistan initiative, UNDP helps enhance community resilience through community-based disaster risk management.

The Heart of Asia Istanbul Process promotes cooperation in the region surrounding Afghanistan. Its participating countries are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the UAE and Uzbekistan. Supporting countries involved in the technical working group included Denmark, France, Japan, Norway, Poland, UK and USA, as well as 12 regional and international organisations.