Daily Times

A two-member delegation comprising of Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, Chairman NDMA and Mr. Idrees Mehsud, Member Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) attended Partnership Days Event of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) on invite of World Bank in Washington DC.

The Chairman as panelist highlighted the requirements for making Pakistan a resilient country, “Developing economies critically need innovative DRR approaches based on local challenges and necessities” he mentioned. Chairman unveiled the way forward for a remodelled NDMA that will be able to tackle upcoming challenges owing to multiple hazards, particularly climate change induced. He emphasized need for collaboration to incorporate community centric AI based/tech driven early warning capabilities to forecast disasters, which also could be a key solution to minimize time and again financial assistance by donors in affected regions. The Chairman, during panel discussion also suggested that the World Bank financial strategy developments for DRR and other frameworks must include spontaneity and shared DRR instruments. Pakistan has demonstrated default resilience and adaptation, which requires support in value addition of protocols, he added.

At later part of the day, the delegation also held productive sessions with Ms. Afreen Akhter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the US state Department and Ms. Marcia Wong, Deputy Assistant to the Administrator, in USAID HQs Washington. During meetings the NDMA delegation discussed crucial need to collate with academia and DM responders of vulnerable countries with global universities, for building forward on existing knowledge and capitalization of existing indigenous capabilities. They further specified requirement to formulate and connect a team of all DM stakeholders including local/global partners working in silos, for pre identifying risks and preparation of plans of actions for foreseeable potential disasters. NDMA delegation is currently representing Pakistan in sessions/meetings pertaining to disaster risk management and financing, organized by global partners/stakeholders.