Mayor Aung Maung emphasized in his opening remarks that disaster risk reduction is a crucial factor in achieving resilience in Mandalay City. He also hoped that the workshop would promote safer development planning in the city.

Jointly organized by Mandalay City Development Committee, Relief and Resettlement Department and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), the workshop aimed at sensitizing and enhancing disaster risk-sensitive development practices through interactive learning. Participants actively engaged in discussion on development issues and disaster risk, and explored possible actions towards safer and resilient development.

DRR and urban development planning

The workshop was participated by 28 participants from Mandalay City Development Committee, line departments, members of civil and private sector associations, and development partners with facilitation support from Relief and Resettlement Department, Planning Department, Mandalay City Development Committee and ADPC. Coming from diverse backgrounds, the participants had the opportunity to explore the relationship between disaster risk reduction and development in Mandalay. Additionally, discussions touched upon the ways to incorporate disaster risk reduction considerations into development planning and implementation at the city level.

Since 2011, ADPC has worked in close collaboration with Mandalay City Development Committee on various disaster risk reduction initiatives including earthquake risk assessment, and developing a GIS database and a guideline for disaster risk information application into land-use planning. The learning workshop is part of ADPC’s technical support for Myanmar under Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development program funded by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Australia.