Daily Times

Representatives and members from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Tuesday visited the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to review the capabilities of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC).

The delegation was briefed on the state-of-the-art technological infrastructure and operational frameworks designed to tackle climate-induced anomalies and disasters in Pakistan and the region.

During the briefing, rising temperatures, coastline crises, and their impacts on regional stability were highlighted.

Chairman NDMA Lt. Gen Inam Haider Malik HM(I) briefed the delegation about the capacities of NEOC.

Regional countries diplomats visit NDMA to explore NEOC capabilities, foster cooperation on disaster management

The delegated were briefed about escalating impacts of rising temperatures on the region, stressing the importance of collaborative action to address shared vulnerabilities. Call for action for utilization of NEOC’s advanced systems for real-time monitoring, disaster preparedness, and response in the region.

They were also briefed about potential of a regional framework for disaster risk reduction (DRR), emphasizing joint efforts for capacity building and knowledge sharing to strengthen disaster preparedness and response.

Secretary General of ECO Secretariat, Ambassador Dr. Asad Majeed Khan, commended NDMA’s efforts in disaster preparedness and urged regional member states to prioritize disaster risk reduction frameworks.

He noted that ECO member countries face a collective loss of $70 million due to climate-related disasters annually, making regional cooperation an urgent necessity.

Ambassador of Iran Dr. Reza Amiri, Ambassador Uzbekistan, Oybek Usmanov, Ambassador of Nepal, Rita Dhital, Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Khazar Farhadov, Bangladesh High commissioner to Pakistan Iqbal Hussain Khan, DHM Islamail Mufeed and representative from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and official of Ministry of foreign affairs attended the session .