ADRC Highlights
Asian Disaster Reduction Center Monthly News
● Promoting Cooperation with Member Countries
Vol. 360
March2023
TOPICS
Promoting Cooperation
with Member Countries[News Flash] AsianConference on DisasterReduction 2022
Promoting Cooperation
with AffiliatedInstitutions
The JICA Knowledge CoCreation Program"Comprehensive DisasterRisk Reduction"
ADRC Visiting
Researcher Report¶ Mr Asghar Ali Jamali(Pakistan)¶ Mr Pravin
Bhagwantrao Dhat (India)[News Flash] Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction 2022

The Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction 2022 (ACDR2022) was held at theSendai International Center in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, from 10 to 12 March
2023. This event was adapted to a hybrid format, with online participation
available to a wide range of member countries and other interested parties.
The basic theme of ACDR2022 was “WHAT IS NEXT? Learning from thePast, Preparing for the Future.” ACDR2022 highlighted the importance of applying
past lessons towards efforts for risk-informed preparedness to further strengthen
national-level DRM systems.
Three sessions were held for ACDR2022: (1) Large-Scale Disasters andCountermeasures, (2) Broaden Our Horizons for Disaster Data Linkage in SFDRR
Implementation: Application of GLIDE (GLobal IDEntifier Number), and (3) The
Provision of Information via Satellite for Disasters and Crisis Management.
ACDR2022 also included a special session related to the “100th Anniversary of theGreat Kanto Earthquake” for the discussion of these issues. In this special session,
speakers reported on the process of recovery from the Great Kanto Earthquake inthe metropolitan area of Japan and made recommendations for better DRR
activities in Asian countries. Also, participants attended the Japan International
Public-Private Association for Disaster Risk Reduction (JIPAD) seminar hosted bythe Cabinet Office of Japan and a JICA-sponsored session at the World BOSAI
Forum. On the last day of ACDR2022, participants visited the Yuriage area ofNatori City in order to learn about recovery efforts following the Great East JapanEarthquake.
Detailed results of each session, as well as a website where you can view theconference video, will be announced in the next issue.

Asian DisasterReduction Center
Higashikan 5F, 1-5-2
Wakinohamakaigan-dori,Chuo-ku, Kobe
651-0073 Japan
Tel: 078-262-5540
Fax: 078-262-5546
editor@adrc.asia
https://www.adrc.asia© ADRC 2023

On-site Participants of ACDR2022● Promoting Cooperation with Affiliated Institutions
The JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program "Comprehensive DisasterRisk Reduction"

Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) conducted a JICA Knowledge CoCreation Program "Comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction" from 28 December
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2022 to 22 February 2023, with the cooperation of JICA Kansai.
It was conducted in a hybrid format, with both online and in-person programs in Japan. It was attended byeight government officials from six countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, andThailand.
This course aims to help participants learn how to formulate and implement local DRR plans to promotedisaster reduction measures in each country. Participants studied disaster countermeasures for their target
cities by attending lectures, site visits, and participating in exercises on formulating a draft local DRR plan.
They all participated enthusiastically in the programs, engaging in discussions with other participants anddeepening their understanding of the subject matter.
ADRC would like to express its sincerest gratitude to all the supporting organizations and lecturers fortheir cooperation in conducting this course.

Site visit on flood control along the Shirakawa River, Kumamoto Prefecture● ADRC Visiting Researcher Report
Mr Asghar Ali Jamali (Pakistan)

I am Asghar Ali Jamali from Pakistan. For the past sevenyears, I have been working as Deputy Director (Planning &Coordination), with additional duties as Deputy Director(Rescue), for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority,
Ministry of Board of Revenue for the government ofBalochistan. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority
is responsible for tackling all kinds of disasters within
Balochistan province.
I earned my master’s degree in Geography from theUniversity of Balochistan in 2014-2015. In my current
position, I am responsible for ensuring the full range ofdisaster preparedness activities, including mitigation, theformulation of contingency plans, PC-I (development budgets
based on project plans), public awareness, conducting disastertraining activities, and coordinating with relevant stakeholders
on disaster mitigation across the province.
I have been nominated to participate in the Visiting
Researcher Program from the Provincial/National Disaster
Management Authority of Pakistan to be held in Kobe, Japan for two months to learn about latest techniquesand methods for rapidly responding to emergencies and minimizing the loss of human life and damage.
Because Japan is well known worldwide to be highly developed in terms of dealing with disasters, thisprogram is expected to enhance my knowledge and capacity in the field of disaster risk management/
disaster reduction.
Furthermore, I look forward to reviewing Japanese policies and learning how to make them applicable
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efforts in my country to reduce risk before and after disasters. I would like to take this opportunity to express
my sincere gratitude to ADRC, the Government of Pakistan, and the Provincial Disaster Management
Authority of Balochistan for their support in this work.
Mr Pravin Bhagwantrao Dhat (India)

My name is Pravin Bhagwantrao Dhat, and I have come fromIndia to serve as a Visiting Researcher at ADRC. I work as anAssistant Commandant for the National Disaster Response Force(NDRF), an organisation of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs.
I graduated with a degree in Agricultural Sciences and havecompleted a Post Graduate Diploma in Disaster Management.
The NDRF of India is the largest dedicated disaster response
force in the world and is responsible for providing specialized
response during disasters, as well as providing disastermanagement training and conducting various capacity building
and disaster risk reduction activities on a routine basis. I joined
the NDRF on assignment from the Central Reserve Police Forcein June 2020 and am posted at the 5th Battalion of the NDRF inPune, Maharashtra. I am responsible for the general supervisionand management of an NDRF company. I am also involved invarious operational, training, and capacity building activities inthe states of Maharashtra and Goa. I am a qualified rescuer
trained in various fields such as medical first response, collapsed
structure search and rescue, aquatic disaster response, firefighting,animal disaster response, and dead body management, withspecialized training in mountain search & rescue and chemical,
biological, radiological, and nuclear emergencies. Additionally, I
have undertaken courses on topics like strategic management, International Search and Rescue Advisory
Group (INSARAG), and gender concerns in disaster management.
India is located in the southern part of Asia and shares borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal,Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. Due to its unique geo-climatic and socio-economic conditions, India has
been vulnerable, in varying degrees, to a large number of natural and human-induced disasters. It is highly
vulnerable to floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, and forest fires. Global
warming and climate change have also increased the occurrence and intensity of hydro meteorologicaldisasters. Human induced disasters like accidents are also on a constant rise. Hence, there is an increasingly
intense focus on disaster risk reduction and disaster management in India.
Due to its geographical, topographical and meteorological conditions, Japan faces frequent natural
disasters such as typhoons, torrential rains and heavy snowfalls, as well as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,and tsunamis. Disaster damage in Japan has been on the decline due the progress of society's ability torespond to disasters and mitigate vulnerabilities by developing disaster management systems, promoting
national land conservation, improving weather forecasting technologies, and upgrading disaster information
communications systems. Thus, there is quite a lot to learn from Japan.
During my stay in Japan, I look forward to gaining insights into the Japanese system of disastermanagement, especially in the domain of response at various levels. I am confident that I will be able toapply the knowledge and skills that I gain through this program in relevant fields of practice in India.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to ADRC and the Government of India for giving me thisopportunity to participate in the Visiting Researcher Program for the fiscal year 2022.

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