First IORA Expert Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Management (EGMDRM)

The Republic of India, Lead Coordinator for IORA’s priority area of Disaster Risk Management, in collaboration with the IORA Secretariat, will host the First Expert Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Management (EGMDRM) next week, virtually.

The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is sometimes referred to as the “World’s Hazard Belt” due to its susceptibility to both natural and man-made disasters. Natural disasters in this region fall under the group of Climatological (cyclones and droughts), Geological and Tectonic (earthquakes and tsunamis) and Hydrological (floods and tidal surges).

The management of disaster risks is particularly urgent in the IOR because it is home to many small island nation states and developing littoral countries with high population densities, which are vulnerable due to the lack of resources and assets to handle the calamity. Moreover, the region is also witnessing an increased risk of biological, environmental, geophysical, hydrometeorological and technological hazards.

The forthcoming Meeting will provide a concrete roadmap for Member States to establish an IORA Working Group on Disaster Risk Management (WGDRM) providing a mechanism for engaging disaster and emergency response officials and experts across the region to promote regional cooperation, and by facilitating practical coordination amongst stakeholders. The establishment of the WGDRM would aim to develop and adopt an evolving Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Work Plan to achieve the objectives outlined in the IORA Action Plan (2017-2021) and to build a resilient IOR.

Moreover, the Meeting is set to finalise the IORA Guidelines for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) aimed at developing a speedy, responsive, coordinated, and effective HADR strategy for IORA Member States, when required and serving the purpose of establishing a common understanding of HADR operations.

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