Delegates pose for a group picture

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) jointly organized a consultation on the current status of disaster risk reduction in Lao PDR with the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare on the 3 June, 2019.

The consultation focused on ways to achieve Target E of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) which highlights the development of national and local DRR strategies as the first crucial step in achieving other global targets by 2030. In order to achieve this, countries are expected to highlight the current progress, challenges and gaps in implementing disaster risk management (DRM) strategies and plans.

Mr. Hans Guttman, Executive Director, ADPC, and Mr. Vilayphong Sisomvang, Acting Director General, co-chair the meeting

In this regard, the meeting looked into the current disaster risk management (DRM) initiatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare in order to provide recommendations on future plans to reduce disaster risks in the country. Discussions further covered the current capacity of DRM organizations in accessing, compiling and reporting on the data necessary to measure their achievement. This provided the government of Lao PDR to explore the opportunities for implementing future DRM strategies and plans.

Mr. Hans Guttman, Executive Director, gives an introduction to ADPC presentation

ADPC is building on past experiences in support national governments of Bhutan, Viet Nam and Thailand to assist Lao PDR in developing its status report.

Mr. Hans Guttman, Executive Director, ADPC, and Mr. Vilayphong Sisomvang, Acting Director General, Department of Social Welfare, co-chaired the consultation.

The meeting was organized with support from the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).