JUNE 2006    ISSUE 21

The Canadian Ambassador's visit (11 May)
Dr. Suvit Yodmani welcomed H.E. Mr. Denis Comeau, Canadian Ambassador to Thailand on his visit to the ADPC office. The visit provided an opportunity to brief H.E Mr. Comeau on ADPC's activities and involvement in the region. The meeting further enhanced the on-going partnership and collaboration between the Canadian Government and ADPC.

International Symposium on Building and Synergizing Partnership for Global Human Security and Development, Bangkok (30-31 May)
ADPC's Public Health in Emergencies (PHE), Team Leader, Mr. Jonathan Abrahams and the Information & Knowledge Management Coordinator attended the Human Security Network's International Symposium on Building and Synergizing Partnership for Global Human Security and Development. The symposium was organized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Thailand. The meeting was in preparation for the 8th Ministerial meeting on 1 & 2 June, which Dr. Suvit Yodmani, Executive Director of ADPC attended as observer.

Strategic National Action Plan (SNAP) for Disaster Risk Reduction, Bangkok (30 May)
ADPC's director of Finance, Monitoring & Evaluation, Mr. Tay Boon Tiong represented ADPC to attend the Strategic National Action Plan (SNAP) for Disaster Risk Reduction at the office of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), Bangkok.

Flood Forecast Technology for Disaster Preparedness, Bangladesh (31 May-12 June)
A senior representative from ADPC's Climate Risk Management (CRM) team is in Bangladesh to conduct various start-up activities for the implementation of the Flood Forecast Technology for Disaster Preparedness, also known as the Climate Forecast Applications in Bangladesh 2. The activities are funded by USAID/CARE Bangladesh. In addition, meetings with various project stakeholders, including the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), Institute of Water Modeling (IWM), Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC), and Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) are also planned. Field visits are scheduled to select the demonstration site. This project is aimed at developing climate and flood forecast models that add predictive skills to the current forecast system. The project will also strengthen the technical capacity of relevant institutions to operate an end-to-end climate/flood forecasting and application system.

ADPC conducts Evaluation of Prevention and Mitigation Plan, Bangkok (1 June)
At the request of the Thai Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), a Senior Technical Manager from ADPC's Public Health in Emergencies (PHE) assisted and helped to conduct a review of the Prevention and Mitigation Plan for Transportation and Communication in Udon Thani province.
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Regional Workshop on Educational Materials, Bangkok (1 June)
ADPC in partnership with UNESCO, Bangkok organized the regional workshop on Educational Materials for "Education for Natural Disaster Preparedness in Asia-Pacific in the context of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)". The workshop provided a forum to share invaluable insights of natural disaster preparedness and mitigation at national and regional levels and to maximize the synergies as well as strengthen the network between ESD practitioners and stakeholders in profiling Education for Natural Disaster Preparedness.

Pakistan Ambassador visits ADPC (2 June)
Dr. Suvit Yodmani welcomed H.E. Lieutenant-General (Ret.) Khateer Hasan Khan, Ambassador of Pakistan to Thailand, during his orientation briefing at ADPC. H.E is a member of the ADPC Board of Trustees. The visit provided an opportunity to brief H.E on ADPC's activities and involvement in the region, particularly in Pakistan. The meeting further enhanced the on-going partnership and collaboration between the Government of Pakistan and ADPC. Pakistan is a signatory to the new Charter of ADPC, signed in February 2005, recognizing ADPC as an international organisation.

ADPC held discussion with National Hydro-Meteorological Service (NHMS), Vietnam, (7-9 June)
A delegation from ADPC led by A.R. Subbiah, Director of ADPC's Climate Risk Management (CRM) team was on a mission to Hanoi, Vietnam to hold discussions with the National Hydro-Meteorological Service (NHMS), the primary project implementing partner for the Climate Forecast Applications for Disaster Mitigation and Enhancing Community Resilience to Natural Disasters in Southeast Asia projects. The projects are funded by US National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and DANIDA, respectively. The mission laid the foundations for further work in the demonstration sites, including coastal survey, vulnerability to climate risk analysis, and institutional landscaping. A MoU between Vietnam and ADPC on Climate Forecast Application was signed on 7 June.

ADPC held meeting with teachers, Mae Hong Son, (8-9 June)
ADPC through its Mine Risk Education (MRE) Project met consultants and teachers from schools located in mine risk areas in Mae Hong Son Province. The meeting was to enhance collaboration with potential partners, Government agencies and NGOs, like the Provincial Education Office, Thailand Mine Action Center (TMAC), Humanitarian Mine Action Unit, Border Patrol Police unit, Thailand Campaign to Ban Landmines (TCBL). The project will also organize Camping Programmes for students in July and September 2006. The project is supported by UNICEF, Thailand.

Mission to Da Nang, Vietnam (12-15 June)
A senior representative from ADPC's Urban Development Risk Management (UDRM) team will visit Da Nang, Vietnam to provide technical assistance to the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI). Technical assistance will be provided on: (1) the preparation of a case study of the impacts of land use planning by Da Nang city government upon the flooding risk and overall coastal management in Cam Le, Da Nang; and (2) the development of a coastal management geographic information system (GIS) for monitoring flooding risk and land use. CECI is ADPC's partner in the Program for Hydro-meteorological Disaster Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia (PROMISE). A presentation about PROMISE during the Inception Workshop on 15 June is also planned by CECI.

Country visit to the Philippines (19-23 June)
The Disaster Management Systems (DMS) team will be visiting the Philippines to initiate the project supported by ISDR on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into the Infrastructure sector.

ADPC makes presentation on Integrated Command System (ICS) to the Sri Lankan Government, (26 June)
Senior representative from ADPC's Climate Risk Management team together with representatives from the US Forest Service (USFS) will be on a mission to make presentations on the Integrated Command System (ICS) at the Sri Lankan Government officials' meeting. They will brief officials about the upcoming development of a senior leadership seminar, which will be designed to ensure extensive understanding of ICS concepts for the officials. In addition, the team will brief ICS study tour participants about their upcoming training program in the United States.

ADPC assesses Warning Information Flow, Yangoon, Myanmar (26 June-1 July)
Mr. A.R. Subbiah, Director with a senior technical expert of ADPC's Climate Risk Management (CRM) team will be on a mission to Yangoon, Myanmar to assess the warning information flow and institutions involved. The result of this assessment will serve as primary inputs to the national workshop on communicating risks which will be organized by ADPC in collaboration with the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH).

Regional Consultation on Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR): From Lessons to Action, Bali, Indonesia, (27-29 June)
Dr. Suvit Yodmani and ADPC's Public Health in Emergencies (PHE), Team Leader, Mr. Jonathan Abrahams will attend the Regional Consultation.

ADPC develops a guide for planning and action to address coastal hazards (June-July 2006)
In collaboration with professionals from US National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), University of Rhode Island (URI), Tetra Tech and country coordinators, a senior technical expert of ADPC's Climate Risk Management (CRM) team will lead the toolbox development of the "Coastal Community Resilience Guidebook"- a guide for planning and action to address tsunami and other coastal hazards. The development of this guidebook is part of the Coastal Community Resilience (CCR) program of US Government Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS). In support of the IOTWS Program Integrator, ADPC will be engaging the country coordinators and partners in the overall development of the CCR program at regional and national levels.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ADPC conducts the 3rd Disaster Risk Management Course for AIT
15 June - 15 July

Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed's entry from ADPC is one of the 20 best photos at the IDRC's Expose Urban Solutions Photo Contest 2006