On 24 February 2025, the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC), led byAmbassador Dr. Shiferaw Teklemariam, Commissioner of EDRMC, convened a consultative meeting with theGates Foundationand theAsian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)to advance targeted support for strengthening Ethiopia’s disaster risk management coordination.

Dr. Teklemariam was joined byMr. Tadesse Bekele, Senior DRM Advisor at EDRMC, Dr. Valerie Nkamgang Bemo, Deputy Director of Humanitarian Response at the Gates Foundation, and Ms. Pilar Pacheco, Senior Program Officer for Emergency Response. ADPC was represented byMr. John Abo, Technical Lead for Emergency Preparedness, and Mr. Nazareth Fikru, Program Manager at ADPC’s Ethiopia Country Office.

This meeting was part of an ongoingco-creation processto enhance EDRMC’s role in effectively managing disaster risks across the country. Discussions focused onstrengthening early warning systems, improving emergency response mechanisms, and building institutional capacitiesfor disaster risk reduction in Ethiopia. Participants also emphasized the importance ofmulti-stakeholder collaboration and investment in risk-informeddecision-making toimprove resilience-building efforts.

This initiative aligns withADPC’s priority work area on emergency preparedness for response, which focuses on strengthening national and regional capacities for disaster risk management. Through targeted technical support, ADPC continues to assist countries like Ethiopia in developing robust preparedness and response systems, ensuringbetter protection of communities from disaster impacts.