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In the backdrop of Indian Ocean Tsunami of December 2004 and Kashmir Earthquake of October 2005, 13th SAARC Summit of Heads of States and Governments held at Dhaka on 12-13 November 2005 considered the issues of Regional Cooperation for Preparedness and Mitigation of National Disasters and approved the proposal of India to set up a SAARC Disaster Management Centre at the National Institute of Disaster Management at New Delhi.
The modalities for setting up the Centre were decided by an Expert Group Meeting at New Delhi on 1-2 June 2006. The Report of the Expert Group was accepted by the SAARC Council of Ministers in its meeting held at Dhaka on 30-31 July 2006.
The first meeting of the Governing Board of the Centre was held on 9-10 October 2006 to approve the budget and programme of activities of the Centre for the year 2007.
The Centre was inaugurated on 10th October by Mr. Shivraj Patil, Hon’ble Home Minister of India.
Text
of Speech of Hon’ble Minister
| The Vision |
| The Vision of the SAARC Disaster Management Centre would be to become a vibrant centre of excellence for knowledge, research and capacity development on disaster management. |
Hon'ble Union Home Minister Inaugurating
SAARC Centre
Inaugural function of the SAARC Centre
The Mission
The SAARC Disaster
Management Centre would serve the Member Countries by providing policy
advice and facilitating capacity development services including strategic
learning, research, training, system development, expertise promotion and
exchange of information for effective disaster risk reduction and
management.
The
Functions
The
functions of the SAARC Disaster Management Centre would be:
Expert Group Meeting for setting up SAARC Centre
for Disaster Management
| (a) |
to collect, compile, document and disseminate data, information, case studies, indigenous knowledge and good practices relating to disaster management particularly from the Member Countries |
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(b) |
to analyze information, undertake research and disseminate research findings on disaster management among the Member Countries; |
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(c) |
to develop educational materials and conduct academic and professional courses on disaster management; |
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(d) |
to organize training and awareness programmes for various stakeholders on disaster management for the Member Countries; |
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(e) |
to develop training modules on various aspects on disaster management and conduct programmes of Training for Trainers including simulation exercises; |
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(f) |
to provide
assistance in the formulation of policies, strategies, disaster
management framework and any other assistance as may |
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(g) |
to undertake publication of journals, research papers and books and establish and maintain online resource centers in furtherance of the aforesaid objects. |
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| The Strategies |
| The SAARC Disaster Management Centre shall develop appropriate strategies for the performance of its functions, which may include the following: |
| a) |
Network with the national focal points of disaster management and with the concerned regional and international bodies; |
| b) |
Assist the national focal points of disaster management of Member Countries to develop appropriate models for networking with their research, training and other institutions ; |
Picture of the Board Meeting
| c) | Develop a network of networking institutions to facilitate quick acquisition, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information, data and knowledge on disaster management including linkages with approved real-time data providers ; |
| d) | Use information and communication technologies to develop a virtual resource centre for disaster management in South Asia. |
A. Water and Climate Related Disasters
B. Geologically Related Disasters
C. Biological and other Human Induced Disasters
D. Policy, Planning & Related Issues