Workshop on development of a National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Serbia
United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in collaboration with the Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior, organized a two-day workshop entitled “Introduction to National Platforms in the context of the International strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).”
The workshop is a part of a long term effort to establish a National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Serbia. The workshop was made possible by the European Union through the joint UNDP/WMO Regional DRR Programme.
“Where we stand today is very different from where we stood a year ago,” said William Infante UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, as he stressed the significant progress achieved through a truly collective effort between the government of Serbia, other local stakeholders, international organization and donors. He further stressed that “the greatest international support in this process has come from the EU.”
Predrag Maric, Assistant Minister of Interior and Head of the Sector for Emergency Management, pointed out that this multiple-actor approach resulted in a development of a National Strategy, Law on Emergency Situations, and updated capacity assessments and emergency plans. “I hope that by September, Serbia will also have a National Platform,” said Maric. Rainer Freund, representative of the European Union delegation to Serbia, reminded the participants that “the lack of resilience to disasters affects a country’s ability to plan and achieve sustainable development, which is one of the requirements of the Copenhagen criteria.” Therefore, it is in an attempt to help Serbia achieve sustainable development and make another stride towards the EU membership, that the European Union is committed to assisting efforts in DRR.
National Platforms are envisioned as coordinating bodies for DRR activities on a national level and as key partners for their international counterpart, the Secretariat of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). The work of National Platforms is guided by the Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA). HFA is a 10-year plan adopted by 168 governments in 2005 that provides a set of guidelines for the next decade to assists the efforts of nations and communities to become more resilient to, and cope better with the hazards that threaten their development gains. To date, National Platforms have been formed in 89 countries.
UNISDR has developed a workshop package to help countries create National Platforms and today’s workshop is a part of that package. Facilitators included: the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI), and UNDP Serbia. Members of the Italian National Platform were also present and their experiences were used as a basis for today’s work.
About the Project:
Based on the results of the South Eastern Europe Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Programme (SEEDRMAP) and consultations with countries, WMO and UNDP developed, in parallel, two complementary proposals that were funded by the European Commission (EC) Directorate General for Enlargement. These EC funded projects are targeting Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo* and Turkey and were initiated in March 2009. The project is divided in two major parts, as follows:
Activity 1: “Building Capacity in Disaster Risk Reduction through Regional Cooperation and Collaboration in South East Europe”, implemented under the UNDP coordination.
Activity 2: “Regional Cooperation in South Eastern Europe for meteorological, hydrological and climate data management and exchange to support Disaster Risk Reduction”, implemented under the WMO coordination.
*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).