Ahsan Iqbal observed Asia is more vulnerable to the negative impacts of both geological hazard and climate change. He emphasized the need for an enhanced partnership for sustainable developments, knowledge sharing, expertise and technology for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly for developing countries. Reiterating the Pakistan's commitment to deal with disaster risks reduction, Ahsan Iqbal said, "Realizing the nature of close linkages between disaster and development efforts, the Government of Pakistan under its Vision 2025 has embarked upon developing strategies to reduce vulnerabilities to disasters."
The 3-day 13th Annual Meeting of Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) is for the first time being held in Pakistan since the inception of the Forum in 2000. Delegates and representatives from sixteen member countries alongside international observers from non-member states are attending the meeting.
Three days of the Meeting from 17th - 19th October has been divided into different sessions for deliberations over the main theme "Operationalizing Global Frameworks for Risk Resilient Development in Asia" to assess that how the global and regional frameworks for disaster mitigation can be best translated into practice while keeping local needs and perspective in view.
The sub-theme for the first day of the meeting was Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Implementation Efforts, Challenges and Opportunities. The participants held threadbare discussion in their presentations and plenary discussions. This also afforded Pakistan an opportunity to present its Disaster Risk Management status Report which was applauded by all.
Earlier, in his welcome Address, Chairman NDMA said that Sendai Frame Work provides the vision for "risk sensitive development as corner stone for sustainability". He went on to regard Paris Climate Change Agreement as a hope for climatically safer world in future especially for countries of Asian Pacific Region which are more vulnerable in face of these impacts.
Chairman NDMA was clear in asserting the Government of Pakistan commitment towards implementation of global frameworks and supporting all initiatives to save humanity in this regard. Professor Dr Krasae Chanawongse, Chairman Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC), Stephan Huppertz, Region Co-ordinator Global Initiative on Disaster Risk Management, Kim DeRidder, Director, Environment Program, the Asia Foundation and Javeria Afzal, Associate Country Director, OXFAM Pakistan were among those who addressed the Inauguration Session of 13th RCC Meeting.
The Meeting is considered a success in the wake of such a tangible international participation when voices of diplomatic isolation are echoed by some quarters. The structure and format of discourse was quite practical and objective. The Meeting is likely to bring out tangible action oriented outputs which will act as a comprehensive input for Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in New Delhi in November 2016.