ADPC has formed country-level ‘preparedness partnerships’ in Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka for “Strengthening Capacity of Government and Local Humanitarian Organizations on Preparedness for Response” in Asia, as part of the Asian Preparedness Partnership (APP) program. This program, which is facilitated by ADPC with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is being implemented in six countries, namely Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.

Among the first of the preparedness partnerships to be formed is the ‘Nepal Preparedness Partnership’ (NPP), which was established in a consultative workshop jointly organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and ADPC in Sauraha, Nepal from 23 to 25 December 2017. During the workshop, participants convened over the partnership’s governing structure as well as work plans for APP’s future progress in the country.

Participants of MPP pose for a picture

On 17 January 2018, the Myanmar Preparedness Partnership (MPP) was convened by ADPC and the Myanmar Disaster Management Department (DMD) in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar to discuss partnership’s terms of reference and to identify the activities needed to facilitate the partnership. The meeting also outlined the responsibilities to be held by members of the partnership.

Participants of the SLPP National Collaboration Meeting pose for a photo

Likewise, ADPC and the Disaster Management Center of Sri Lanka (DMC-SL) organized the ‘Sri Lanka Preparedness Planning (SLPP) National Collaboration Meeting’ on 29 January 2018 in Colombo to discuss with representatives from national and district government agencies, the private sector, local NGOs, and even IGOs about possible collaboration avenues within the partnership.

Lt. General Omar Mahmood Hayat (third from the left) and participants discuss during PRP

Most recently, the Pakistan Resilience Partnership (PRP) held its first meeting on 7 February 2018 in Islamabad, Pakistan where representatives from the local humanitarian network, the private sector, the media, and academia were in attendance. The meeting was chaired by Lt. General Omar Mahmood Hayat, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan, and covered topics pertaining to the terms of reference and governance structure of the partnerships.

With the establishment of these partnerships, ADPC hopes to continue fostering further collaboration between different stakeholders throughout the region for a safer and more resilient Asia.