The Center participated in the European and Central Asian Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Montenegro
From November 6 to 8, 2024, a delegation from the Center, consisting of Director S. Aubakirov and Senior Expert B. Ospanov, participated in the European and Central Asian Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction held in Budva, Montenegro. The event was organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
More than 600 delegates from 55 countries across Europe and Central Asia, along with representatives from international and non-governmental organizations, attended the event.
On November 6, the Center's Director spoke at a session on the topic "Uniting Subregional Centers in Europe and Central Asia to Accelerate Disaster Risk Reduction," organized by UNDRR.
The session aimed to strengthen cooperation between subregional organizations, such as the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South-Eastern Europe (DPPI-SEE), the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM), and the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction.
In his speech, Director S. Aubakirov emphasized the importance of improving understanding and synergy among subregional organizations and supported the creation of a unified pool of experts in the Europe and Central Asia region.
Following the session, participants agreed to develop a long-term mechanism for exchanging up-to-date information, with further details to be discussed later.
The Opening Ceremony of the Regional Platform took place on November 7, attended by Montenegro's Prime Minister, Mr. M. Spaić. On the same day, a Ministerial Round Table was held on the themes of "Financing Disaster and Climate Risk" and "Inclusive Stakeholder Participation," chaired by Montenegro's Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. D. Šaranović, and the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mr. K. Kishore.
Ministers, deputy ministers, and state secretaries, as well as national directors from 55 countries supported by UNDRR in Europe and Central Asia, participated in the round table.
The Center's Director was invited as a speaker and noted that "our Center’s specific focus allows us to concentrate on advancing the most relevant initiatives aimed at coordinated actions in Central Asia to strengthen the capacity of emergency response agencies against transboundary threats on unified platforms." He also reaffirmed the Center's commitment to active measures aimed at achieving global goals and objectives that will significantly contribute to preparations for the upcoming COP29 conference and the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2025.
On the same day, Senior Expert B. Ospanov participated as a panelist in the session "Making Cities Resilient 2030" (MCR2030), where, together with a representative from the UNDP Regional Office in Istanbul, he presented a new regional project aimed at enhancing urban resilience in Central Asia.
On November 8, the Center's Director spoke at the "Early Warning for All" Forum session for Europe and Central Asia.
In his report, Mr. Aubakirov emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in Central Asia, which promotes joint efforts and collaboration in early warning systems, as well as the measures taken by the Center to establish a regional early warning system for transboundary emergencies.
"Today, all Central Asian ministers have a shared understanding of the need to establish a regional early warning system for transboundary hazards," Aubakirov noted.
On the sidelines of the Forum, the Center's delegation held several bilateral meetings with Mr. S. Kim, Head of the Regional Group on Climate Change and Disaster Resilience at the UNDP Regional Office in Istanbul; Mr. N. Ganji, Deputy Regional Representative of the FAO for Europe and Central Asia; and Mr. N. Alfonzo Santamaria, Senior Advisor on Risk Management at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The discussions focused on prospects for future regional projects aimed at strengthening urban resilience (UNDP), assessing damage and losses in the agricultural sector (FAO), and identifying possible directions for providing technical assistance to Central Asian countries in disaster risk management (OECD).
The European and Central Asian Regional Platform, formerly known as the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR), included Central Asian countries for the first time. It remains a key intergovernmental platform for addressing regional challenges related to disaster risks and fosters experience exchange and cooperation among governments, civil society, and the private sector.
