2 . H i g h l i g h ts of 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 92 . Hig hlig hts of 2 0 18 Foreword/ 2 0 19
2 -1. Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction 2 0 18ththeAsianO ccasion
ADRC’Centers 2 0 (ADRC)
Anniv ersary
In 2018,
Disaster ofReductiononcelebrated
20th anniversary.
To commemorate
this milestone,
ADRCits
convenes
an annual international
conference
for disaster risk management officials fromcountries andfrom (ACDR)
international
to promote the sharing ofthemember
Asian Conference
ondisaster
Disasterexperts
Reduction
2018organizations
wasinformation and ideas, and to enhance partnerships among participating countries andheld on Awaji Island in Hyogo, Japan, from 30 October to 1organizations. The Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction (ACDR) 2018 commemorated two
November 2018. It brought together 118 participants, including
decades of ADRC’s contributions to disaster risk reduction (DRR). It brought 118 participants
representativesof 25 member
and oneandadvisory(including representativesof 25 countries
member countries
one advisory country, as well as othercountry,
as wellas other observers
and partners,toJapan,
take stock
observersand partners)
to Awaji Island
in Hyogo,from of30 October to 1 November 2018, totake stockof ADRC’s achievements
and future
strategize
future programs
ADRC’sachievements
and strategizeprograms
and and activities. The conference
was organized jointly by the government of Japan.
activities.
ACDR2018 began with opening remarks by Mr. Takeshi Y onezawa, Deputy Director General,
Cabinet Office of Japan. P rof. Masanori Hamada, ADRC Chairman, reviewed 20 years of ADRC
and its member
welcomeda newmember
in 2018.
In addition, ADRC
contributions
and introducedTurkey ascountries
new ADRC
memberTurkey
country.asMr.
HamzaTaşdelen,
Vice

Turkeyis prone
to various
disasters,
as forarefutureother cooperation.
Asian countries,
such asSaya,
earthquakes,
P residentof AFAD,
Turkeynaturalexpressed
his hopes
Ms. Setsuko
Director,Cabinetof Japana Special
on DRR.
member countries
identified
theirfloods,andOfficelandslides.
In chaired
its recent
history,Session
a magnitude
7.4Allearthquake
struck Izmit,
locatedinrespective challenges and current initiatives. Four common preparedness issues identified were: (1)northwestern Turkey, and devastating the local community and the region’s economy. I believe
capacity building; (2) data collection, including the role of the private sector, (3) mainstreamingthat Turkey’s experiences in managing natural disasters will contribute further to creating a safer
DRR in plans, policies, and programs; and (4) community-based resilience efforts, including theAsia
ADRC
and its membercountries.in the keynote speech by P rof. Tadashi Y amada of Chuo
governments.
As emphasizedrolewithof localU niversity, the uncertainty associated with global warming requires a new paradigm for DRR. The
newprobabilisticof predicting
fromwas more useful.
It implies
thatADRC
has been model
promotingactivitiesinundationin the fieldof floods
information-sharing,humanresource
strategies andprograms shouldtake into account
how to cooperation
prepare against
the Asianchanging
natureofdevelopment,
community
capacity-building,and regionalin theregion
sincehazards.
its establishment and we will further contribute to these activities going forward. In 2019, wewill continue to encourage and focus attention on efforts such as GLIDE, to support our work
monitoring the Sendai Framework and the SDGs, the Visiting Researcher program, to improvedisaster risk reduction (DRR) capacity, and public-private partnerships to improve cooperationin utilizing effective technologies and affordable solutions in addressing DRR issues.
As natural disasters have no boundaries, I sincerely appreciate your active cooperation acrossboundaries and borders to advance our work on DRR now and into the future.
March 2019
Masanori Hamada, Chairman
Asian Disaster Reduction CenterFig. 2-1-1 P articipants of ACDR201855

The key topics addressed at ACDR2018 were as follows:

Foreword

1. Regional cooperation in the face of cross-border disasters
Enhancement
global disasterdataIn 2. 2018,
Asianof DisasterReduction
Center (ADRC)
3. Capacity development programs including the ADRC Visiting Researcher P rogram
celebrated its 20th anniversary. To commemorate this milestone,
4. Space-based technology and affordable solutions facilitating DRR
the Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction (ACDR) 2018 washeld Session
on Awajiin Hyogo,
Japan, fromthat
30since
October
to 1recognize no boundaries, there are
1 ofIsland
the conference
acknowledgeddisastersNovember
2018.ofItworking
broughttogether
togetherthrough118 participants,including These include the sharing of best
many benefits
regional cooperation.
practices for handlingmajor disasters,
responding
on search and rescue efforts, andrepresentativesof 25 member
countries
and onetogether
advisory
understanding and improving DRR through early warnings, the mutual exchange of information,
country, as well as other observers and partners, to take stock ofjoint education and training exercises, and joint assistance on disaster response. Session 2 of theADRC’s achievements and strategize future programs andconference addressed issues of disaster data collection. First, to address political challenges, theactivities.
national disaster management organizations (NDMOs) can take advantage of the power of SDGs
teams for monitoring their respective governments, since the SDGs teams reflect the highest level ofcoordination.
Second,andto address
technicalchallenges,
the U Turkey
N agencies
come upits member
countries
welcomed
as a should
new member
in with2018.aIn addition, ADRC
common policy for monitoring SFDRR, SDGs, and the P aris Agreement. Finally, to address
Turkey is prone to various natural disasters, as are other Asian countries, such as earthquakes,
capacity gaps, all available tools and guidance should be made accessible, such as GLIDE, Globalfloods, and landslides. In its recent history, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Izmit, located inCentre for Disaster Statistics (GCDS), and e-learning modules related to disaster data in the region.
northwestern
Turkey,that
anda devastating
the local
community
and theregion’seconomy.
I believe
It is recommended
voluntary network
shouldbe developedto assistcountries
in monitoringthatexperiences
in managing
naturaldisasters
willfurtherto creating
theTurkey’s
global targets
of SFDRR
ahead of theGlobalP latform
oncontribute
DRR be heldin May
2019. a safer
3 recommended
strengthening
Asia Session
with ADRC
and its member
countries. the Visiting Researcher P rogram by ensuring that
researchers continue to contribute substantive value in their countries’ DRR efforts, monitoring theimpacts of their work, and encouraging program participants to continue networking and keeping
ADRC has been promoting activities in the field of information-sharing, human resource
their knowledge and experiences up to date. The session suggested that regional training providers
development,
community
capacity-building,andtraining
regional
cooperationin theon
Asian
regionandsinceconsider exploring
practical
ways of delivering
programs
dependingthe needs
theitssituation.
establishment
we will further
contributeto these
activities
going beforward.
2019, weIt wasandrecommended
that thecapacitiesof membercountries
further In
enhancedtopromotethe tomainstreamingof DRR,disastersuch
management
efforts,
and theour
adoptionwill
continue
encourage andfocus investments
attention oninefforts
as GLIDE,
to support
workofSentinelAsia
toofaholistic
approachtoresidualrisks.
Session4
reaffirmed
thecontributions
monitoring the Sendai Framework and the SDGs, the Visiting Researcher program, to improve

DRR, where near real-time observations from space, delivered online, can be used as early warnings
disaster risk reduction (DRR) capacity, and public-private partnerships to improve cooperation
or as information to guide response and post-disaster recovery planning and operations. Thein utilizing effective technologies and affordable solutions in addressing DRR issues.
conference also showcased affordable solutions to facilitate DRR.
Side events included the Earthquake Technology Expo in Awaji, an event sponsored by JICA on“ AsP romoting
the Developmentof National Iand
Local appreciate
DRR Strategies/
lans for2020” , anacross
event
natural disasters
have no boundaries,
sincerely
your P active
cooperation
sponsoredandby borders
U NESCAP
on “ Disability-Inclusive
Riskboundaries
to advanceour work on DRRDisaster
now and
intoReduction
the future.International Forum2018” , and the Sentinel-Asia JP TM. These provided additional opportunities for many participants
to share information and networks.

March 2019
ACDR2018 was a great success. ACDR2018 documents are available on the ADRC website at
Masanori Hamada, Chairman
http: / / www.adrc.asia/ acdr/ 2018_ index.html.
Asian Disaster Reduction Center66