Meeting of IORA Cluster Group on Disaster Risk Management

The Indian Ocean occupies about 20% of the total ocean area of the world. This comes to a total of 73,427,000 sq .km, stretching from east-Africa to west-Australia and from south-Asia to Antarctica. The Indian Ocean region can be divided into several sub-regions with diversified and complex regional ecological sub-systems and weather patterns.

Geologically and tectonically, the Indian Ocean region is one of the most unstable regions of the earth. Natural disasters which can be classified as climatological (Cyclones, Droughts), geological and tectonic (Earthquakes and Tsunami) and Hydrological (Floods, Tidal Surges, etc.) are very common and reoccurring phenomena.  Man-made disasters, too, are of importance, as the Indian Ocean region is one of the most heavily populated parts of the world, with very active transit and travel in the ocean.

Research indicates that although understanding and information about disaster prevention, mitigation and recovery have increased considerably all over the world, they still remain a very serious matter of concern. Disaster losses are expected to continue following an upward trend over the next few decades as demographic and economic expansion continues in hazard-prone areas with little regard for disaster risk. As the Coordinating Country for DRM for IORA, India has been allocated the responsibility of giving direction to the progress of this IORA Priority Area, with the involvement of all other IORA Member States, and especially the DRM Cluster Group countries.

The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs, India and IORA propose to host the “Meeting of IORA Cluster Group on Disaster Risk Management” on 5–6 February 2019 at Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra, New Delhi, India. The meeting will consist of two-day interactive sessions and will focus on the development of a draft Work Plan for DRM in IORA. It will also deliberate on the requirement for establishing a DRM Core Group in order to take forward the agreed objectives under the Work Plan.

The Cluster Group meeting on DRM is expected to result in:

• Provision of clarity to IORA Member States to move forward in the Priority Area of DRM in a structured manner;
• Enunciation of sub sectors within the priority area, in order to formulate specific target-oriented prevention, mitigation and reduction policies.
• Enhancement of cooperation in international disaster response interventions including deployment of disaster response teams and mobilization of relief aid/ material to affected country/countries.
• Strengthening of cooperation mechanisms for information exchange, establishment of disaster database(s), collaboration in best practices in disaster risk management.

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