Photo Credit: ADPC

 

Bangkok, 14 October 2025

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), in collaboration with the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), convened a Regional Policy Dialogue on Flood Emergency Response in Bangkok. The Dialogue brought together senior representatives from the seven BIMSTEC member countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, to exchange lessons, share good practices, and lay the groundwork for a Regional Flood Emergency Response Framework that will strengthen coordinated action in disaster preparedness and emergency response across the Bay of Bengal region. This initiative was undertaken as part of the Institutional Strengthening through Preparedness and Inclusive Response in India (INSPIRE) Program, which aims to enhance institutional systems for disaster preparedness and climate action at the national and state levels in India, while contributing to regional cooperation in the Bay of Bengal Region.

Context: Shared Risks, Shared Solutions

The BIMSTEC region is home to over 1.7 billion people and some of the world's most flood-prone transboundary river basins, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Mekong. As noted in the UNESCAP Asia-Pacific Disaster Report (2024), floods account for the majority of disaster-related fatalities in the region. Seasonal monsoon floods, glacial lake outburst floods, storm surges, and flash floods routinely cross borders, while mechanisms for joint response remain fragmented. These risks are further intensified by climate change, rapid urbanization, and deforestation, which demand more coordinated, anticipatory systems for regional preparedness.

Organized under ADPC's partnership with BIMSTEC and supported through ADPC's INSPIRE India Program, the three-day event served as a catalyst for policy alignment, institutional collaboration, and peer learning across member states. It marked a significant step toward advancing regional cooperation, promoting knowledge exchange, and enhancing coordinated planning to improve preparedness and resilience against flood disasters.

Highlights from the Regional Dialogue

As part of the INSPIRE program, ADPC conducted a comprehensive survey across BIMSTEC countries to assess institutional capacities, identify operational gaps, and explore opportunities for joint action in developing the Regional Flood Response Framework. The findings, first presented during the BIMSTEC Tabletop Exercise held in August 2025, were revisited during the Dialogue, where participants reviewed preparedness levels, coordination mechanisms, and practical solutions for cross-border information exchange, surge support, and deployment protocols.

Technical sessions featured presentations from NDMA and NDRF (India), DDPM (Thailand), NCHM (Bhutan), DDM (Myanmar), NDRRMA (Nepal), and DMC (Sri Lanka), as well as contributions from international partners such as OCHA-INSARAG and SERVIR-Mekong (ADPC).

Mrs. Suparaporn Jakmanon, Chief Inspector, DDPM, Thailand, Photo Credit: ADPC

"We recognize that floods are becoming more frequent and intense due to rapid urbanization and changing rainfall patterns. Hence, Thailand sees collaboration rather than competition as a cornerstone of resilience,” stated Mrs. Suparaporn Jakmanon, Chief Inspector, DDPM, Thailand. "Through our participation in BIMSTEC and our partnership with ADPC, Thailand remains firmly committed to advancing regional cooperation in disaster risk reduction and emergency response. Thailand is committed to sharing our data, tools, and technologies for early warning and risk communication, facilitating training and knowledge exchange among BIMSTEC countries. We expect similar actions from other countries. Our goal is to ensure that no community, no matter how remote, is left behind in receiving timely, actionable flood warnings.”

  Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, Executive Director of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, Executive Director of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, emphasized that "BIMSTEC member states are also either ADPC's founding member countries or members of the Regional Consultative Committee. At ADPC, we are dedicated to supporting the government at the national, sub-national, and local levels. This regional dialogue focused on flood emergency response and the co-development of an enabling framework for cooperation. ADPC stands ready to assist the BIMSTEC Secretariat in realizing the commitments made during the 6th BIMSTEC Summit and to serve as one of the best platforms for knowledge exchange and regional collaboration on flood response.”

Mr. Prasanth Chandran, Director of BIMSTEC Secretariat

Mr. Prasanth Chandran, Director of BIMSTEC Secretariat, highlighted that "Floods continue to be among the most devastating disasters affecting our countries. These challenges can no longer be addressed by national efforts alone. They demand coordinated regional responses and shared knowledge, and collective preparedness. The BIMSTEC Center for Weather and Climate is now operational as a regional hub for collaboration in weather forecasting and climate modeling, and work is progressing to establish the BIMSTEC Disaster Management Center.”

  Lt. Col. Sanjeev Kumar Shahi, Joint Advisor, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India

Lt. Col. Sanjeev Kumar Shahi, Joint Advisor, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, pinpointed that "India's ambition to co-develop a regional flood response framework aligns with the Sendai Framework for DRR and the Prime Minister's Ten-Point Agenda on DRR. We should conduct annual tabletop exercises to strengthen shared understanding and have a shared understanding and initial framework design, a strengthened network, and a curated compendium of tools and good practices to move decisively from intent to implementation. With ADPC's stewardship and BIMSTEC's collective will, we can honor the spirit of One Earth, One Family, One Future, and make our region safer together.”

From left to right: Mr. Prasath Chandrah, Director of BIMSTEC Secretariat, Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, Executive Director of Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Mrs. Suparaporn Jakmanon, Chief Inspector of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation - DDPM, Government of Thailand, and Lt. Col. Sanjeev Kumar Shahi, Joint Advisor of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India.  Photo Credit: ADPC

 

A Call to Regional Action

Dr. Sisira Madurapperuma, Director, ADPC

Concluding the Policy Dialogue, Dr. Sisira Madurapperuma, Director of ADPC's Preparedness for Response and Recovery Department, highlighted BIMSTEC's potential to influence global disaster resilience through collaboration and technology exchange. "The BIMSTEC region—home to roughly 22% of the world's population—is uniquely positioned not just to strengthen resilience within our own borders but to influence practice globally. We don't need to reinvent the wheel. From early warning to anticipatory action and finance, proven solutions exist across our countries. Our task is to transfer technology, contextualize where needed, and scale what already works. Preparedness and emergency response are immediate priorities, but recovery readiness and climate adaptation must advance in parallel. There is no alternative to regional cooperation if we are to promote connectivity, inclusive growth, and sustainable development.” Dr. Sisira emphasized that the region's collective experience, diversity, and institutional strengths form a solid foundation for shared progress. He reaffirmed ADPC's commitment to work with BIMSTEC member states and partners to turn lessons into action, advancing the joint vision of a safer and more resilient Bay of Bengal.

 

Toward a Regional Flood Response Framework

The discussions throughout the three-day event culminated in a shared vision for a BIMSTEC Regional Flood Response Framework, envisioned as a multi-tiered coordination mechanism that will:

• Enable real-time data and early warning sharing,
• Establish standard operating procedures for joint response,
• Facilitate cross-border surge support and resource pooling, and
• Strengthen capacity-building and knowledge exchange platforms across the region.

Once formulated, the framework is expected to transform how BIMSTEC countries collectively prepare for and respond to floods, turning fragmented national actions into a cohesive regional system for saving lives and safeguarding livelihoods across the Bay of Bengal.

Bridging the Policy and Diplomatic Interface: The Ambassadorial Dialogue

Group Picture of the BIMSTEC Ambassadorial Roundtable Dialogue

The Regional Dialogue concluded with the BIMSTEC Ambassadorial Roundtable Dialogue on "Cooperation for Disaster and Climate Resilience in the Bay of Bengal Region” on 16 October 2025 at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre. Ambassadors and senior representatives of BIMSTEC member countries reaffirmed the Bangkok Vision 2030 and the 6th BIMSTEC Summit Declaration, underscoring the importance of collective preparedness, shared early warning systems, and joint investment in resilience.

H.E. Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General of BIMSTEC

 

In his keynote address, H.E. Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General of BIMSTEC, highlighted the pivotal role of BIMSTEC as a "driver of regional solidarity for crisis preparedness and response.” He commended ADPC and BIMSTEC member countries for their active engagement in advancing disaster management and climate resilience efforts across the Bay of Bengal region. Reflecting on the growing urgency of climate-related challenges, he reminded participants that "Climate change is no longer a theoretical paradigm; it is a daily reality. While mitigation remains essential, adaptation has become imperative. We must build systems and resilience that reduce the damage disasters cause and enable us to recover faster.” H.E. Pandey emphasized that the partnership between BIMSTEC and ADPC represents a natural alignment of vision and purpose, noting that "it is only natural for BIMSTEC and ADPC to work together—our goals, our agenda, and our member states converge. Our success in collaboration will directly serve the interests of our countries and strengthen the foundation for continued regional cooperation.” He reaffirmed BIMSTEC's commitment to strengthening institutional collaboration, announcing that work is underway to formalize this cooperation. "We look forward to deepening our partnership with ADPC and finalizing the Memorandum of Understanding between our institutions. Together, we can promote regional cooperation that turns our shared challenges into shared opportunities.”

The session also featured remarks from Dr. Tavida Kamolvej, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, and ambassadors from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, who stressed the need for science-based decision-making, resilient infrastructure, and people-centered cooperation rooted in local action under a common regional framework.

Looking Ahead

The outcomes from the Regional Policy Dialogue will inform the technical and policy roadmap for finalizing the Regional Flood Response Framework (2026–2027), to be presented at the upcoming BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on Environment and Disaster Management.

Building on the consensus achieved in Bangkok, BIMSTEC and ADPC will establish a joint technical working group composed of representatives from national disaster management authorities, hydrometeorological agencies, and relevant line ministries of the member states. This working group will lead the drafting and validation of the Regional Framework through a series of consultative workshops, peer reviews, and simulation-based exercises in 2026.

The Framework will outline institutional arrangements, operational protocols, and mechanisms for data and resource sharing, ensuring coherence with existing regional initiatives such as the BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate and the forthcoming BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre. ADPC will serve as the technical partner to facilitate coordination, knowledge management, and capacity development throughout the process.

Once endorsed by member states, the Regional Flood Response Framework will guide collective preparedness planning, interoperability of early warning systems, and surge response coordination across the Bay of Bengal region. The initiative will also contribute to the implementation of the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, advancing a more resilient, responsive, and cooperative regional system.

This joint initiative reaffirms the spirit of regional solidarity embodied in the motto "One Bay, One Response”, a shared commitment to protect communities, ecosystems, and economies through cooperation, knowledge, and resilience.

 

For more information, please contact: adpc@adpc.net