August 2005-Issue 11

Dear Readers,

We are happy to keep you informed with the key activities and events at ADPC with this month's updates. Some of the highlights for this month are the important MoU signed between ADPC & UNDP Thailand to support the Royal Thai Government (RTG) in addressing its immediate plans to implement an end-to-end, multi-hazard early warning and disaster preparedness system in Thailand. This month ADPC is implementing Capacity Building and Project Support training in Bangladesh for Improved Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change for Sustainable livelihoods in the Agricultural sector under the Bangladesh Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme.

This month we also have the great pleasure of welcoming Major General Gamini Hettiarachchi, the new Director General, National Disaster Management Center of Sri Lanka to ADPC.

Suvit Yodmani, Executive Director, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center 

ACTIVITIES 

Social Aspects of Integrated Flood Management
A study to analyse the Social Aspects of Integrated Flood Management is being commissioned by WMO, which is one of the four companion papers to be produced under Associated Program on Flood Management (APFM) of World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and Global Water Partnership (GWP).

First Session of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian OceanTsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS-I) (August 2-6) 
ADPC participated in the first session of the intergovernmental coordination group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System in Perth, Australia. This coordination meeting aims to foster a clear overview and understanding of the IOTWS technology deployment plans of the Indian Ocean countries and to record this information in the meeting report as an initial plan for an integrated regional warning system. It will discuss possible overlap, complementarity and technical compatibility; related systems including seismic, communications, warning centers, sea level networks and data and information management; and plan the future operation of the ICG to ensure support of the process establishing the IOTWS, including near-term activities, resources and objectives. 

Capacity Building and Project Implementation Support: Improved Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change for Sustainable Livelihoods in the Agriculture Sector (Bangladesh) (August 2-17) 
ADPC is implementing the capacity building project under the Bangladesh Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) to increase resilience in the agricultural sector to climate change to the National Technical Implementation Working Group with the support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The national technical implementation working group is composed of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Department of Environment (DoE) and Ministry of Food and Disaster Management (MFDM).

Institutional Landscape Analysis in Vietnam (August 20-31)
An Institutional landscape analysis is currently underway, under the ADPC’s Climate Risk Management Team’s looking at the various institutions and policies currently in place that are relevant to climate risk management. The study will look in particular at identifying agencies and organizations connected with climate problems, individual institution roles, key decisions made, coping strategies for responding to climate variability and challenges for the use of climate information.

MoU Signed between ADPC & UNDP (29 July)
On July 29 ADPC and UNDP signed a memorandum of understanding to support the Royal Thai Government (RTG) in addressing its immediate plans to implement an end-to-end, multi-hazard early warning and disaster preparedness system in Thailand. The End-to-End Early Warning System and Preparedness for Tsunami and other Natural Hazards in Southern Thailand project seeks to develop an overall culture of safety that starts with a tsunami early-warning system and ends with a heightened awareness of disaster planning and mitigation at all levels of Thai society. The US$500,000 project, implemented by ADPC and financed by UNDP, will assist the Thai Government is establishing the National Early Warning System, while facilitating the setting up the Regional Early Warning System to protect Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.

ADPC hosted farewell luncheon for H.E. Ms. Ragne Birte Lund (29 July)
ADPC hosted farewell luncheon for Ms. Ms. Ragne Birte Lund, Norwegian Ambassador to Thailand in appreciation for Norway’s generous support to Disaster Management programmes in the region implemented by ADPC.

EVENTS

Major General Gamini Hettiarachchi, Director General, National Disaster Management Center of Sri Lanka Visits ADPC (August 10)
The meeting is scheduled to welcome Major General Gamini Hettiarachchi to ADPC to brief him on ADPC activities and programmes in Sri Lanka, and the active involvement of ADPC in the region.

ADPC-AIT workshop on Sustainable Management of Natural Hazards in Southeast Asia (24 August)
The objective of the project on Sustainable Management of Natural Hazards in Southeast Asia is to provide aid in supporting decisions for the management of risk due to natural hazards and use of natural resources. It will provide educational activities in the region of Southeast Asia. Furthermore it will collaborate with other programs and provide support for local aid organizations.

Maldives First Aid Training for Teachers and Scouts (19 August)
Maldives First Aid Training for Teachers and Scouts is developed in coordination with UNDP aimed at assisting teachers and scouts to obtain knowledge and skill in First Aid.

Media Orientation Workshop on Community Based Disaster Risk Management Cambodia (29 August)
The Media Orientation workshops on Community based disaster risk management facilitated in Cambodia and Lao encourage media to promote community based practices on disaster risk management in the respective countries

WORKSHOPS/TRAININGS

Workshop on Mitigation of Damage on Healthcare Facilities, Jakarta, Indonesia (August 2-4)
ADPC organised a workshop with WHO and Ministry of Health, Indonesia on the reconstruction of healthcare facilites with participantion of national institutions, NGOs and WHO. 

Strategic Collaborative Action Planning Workshop on Institutionalizing Community Based Disaster Risk Management in East Timor (2-3 August), in Cambodia (8-9 August) and Lao PDR (15-16 August)
APDC-CBDRM implements the national workshops on community based disaster risk management in East Timor, Cambodia and Lao PDR. The purpose of the National Consultation Workshops is to develop national strategies on institutionalizing CBDRM in the government policy, planning and implementation.

Disaster Management Course, (15-20 August)
ADPC is conducting a Disaster Management Course in Banda Aceh, Indonesia for CARE International – Indonesia to introduce selected CARE and other NGOs to the concept of DRM and CBDRM. 

3rd International Training Course on Hospital Emergency Preparedness and Responses (HEPR-3) Bangkok, Thailand (August 22-26)
The HEPR – 3, a fee based course will begin from 22-26 August in Bangkok. This course is designed to assist health service providers, both administrative and medical to enable them to prepare the facilities and themselves effectively in a coordinated manner to respond to emergencies that involve large number of casualties. 

Climate Forecast Application Consultation Workshop (July 18-21), Thailand
The workshop brings together implementing partners of the climate forecast applications program from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, in collaboration with the International Research Institute for Climate Prediction (IRI), to share progress of program implementation and develop next year's action plan. The program is funded by USAID/OFDA and US NOAA. 

UPCOMING EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER

• Flood Disaster Risk Management, Bangkok, Thailand, 12-23 September

• Regional Training Course on Tsunami and Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction for Cities (EVRC-5), Phuket, Thailand, 19-23 September 

• Management of Dead and Missing in Disasters, 23-26 September 

ADPC Co-organsing Asian Disaster Reduction Conference in Beijing China, 20-24 September 2005