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5.1.2. Partners and Collaborators
The University of Tokyo is the technical partner of ADRC for this project. In its
implementation, the project engages HP-SDMA of India and collaborating with the following
organizations: (i) Department of Telecommunications, Government of Himachal Pradesh; (ii)
Mobile Network Operators; (iii) Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI); (iv)
Resilience Innovation Knowledge Academy (RIKA-India); (v) IIT-Hyderabad; and (vi) Asian
Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). The collaboration is focused on implementing thefollowing core activities: setting-up the data pipeline, setting-up the analytical pipeline,
assessing the Mobipack enhancement that is tailored to the needs HPSDMA, and organizing
lessons learned workshop.

Section 5

Figure 5.2. Virtual Meeting Among Partners

5.2. Networking and Engagement
Most of ADRC engagements during FY 2020 were conducted virtually due to COVID-19
pandemic.
5.2.1. APEC-EPWG
On 21 July 2020, ADRC virtually participated in the 16 th Meeting of APEC Emergency
Preparedness Working Group (EPWG). ADRC Project Director Mr. SUZUKI Koji, co-chair ofthe EPWG, moderated one of the sessions. Mr. NAKAGAWA Masaaki (Executive Director)

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Mr. Gerald Potutan (Senior Researcher) and Ms. SHIOMI Yumi (Senior Researcher) alsoparticipated. Agenda included reporting from APEC economies on DRR measures during
COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing projects, and future plans of EPWG. Mr. SUZUKI presented
an “Update on EPWG initiative on sharing of information in responding to COVID-19”. Mr.
Potutan presented the report on DRR Measures during the Pandemic on behalf of Japaneconomy. In the meeting, EPWG agreed to continue to address the issues related to theCOVID-19 pandemic in cooperation with other APEC fora.

Section 5Figure 5.3. Screenshot of EPWG-16 Meeting

5.2.2. ASEAN
Engagements with the ASEAN included:
High-Level Symposium on Disaster Management 2020 held at ASEAN Secretariat
in Jakarta, Indonesia on 26-27 February 2020. The symposium was organized by
ASEAN Secretariat and supported by China with the objective of providing a platform fordiscussions on disaster management in a cooperative framework by involving relevant
experts from various background by complementing the existing ASEAN mechanisms.

More than 100 participants from DRR and other fields like social and financial sectors
attendedfromASEAN

membercountries,

academicinstitutions,internationalorganizations and NGOs. ADRC shared information on disaster data development andmethodologies in ASEAN countries. Panelists regarded accuracy and coverage ofdisaster data as challenging regardless of disaster phase or activity field throughout thesymposium. Also, the application of GLIDE to their work was suggested for future
solution.

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Discussions on use of QZSS for disaster management with AHA Centre in Jakarta,
Indonesia on 3 March 2020. Together with partners from Asia Air Survey and CTI
Engineering International, ADRC met with Mr. Siva Balan (Director for Operations) andother AHA Centre officials in Jakarta. The meeting explored the possibility of applying aconstellation of Japanese Satellites' positioning service (QZSS) as emergency
information platform. The key feature of this platform is that it can send text and voicemessages to a receiver. By using an application to decode the sent messages,
communities can receive the information even in the absence of telecommunication
infrastructure, telephone networks, or Wi-Fi. This platform is valuable to communities inmountainous areas, island communities, or areas where telecommunication infrastructure
is limited. AHA Centre officials recognized the added value of this emergency information
platform, especially for Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV), as these
ASEAN member countries have limited capacities in disaster forecasting and earlywarning.
Section 5

Figure 5.4. Meeting at AHA Centre, Jakarta

5.2.3. SAARC/Nepal
On 25-29 February 2020, ADRC engaged in three different activities during the visit toNepal. Firstly, ADRC Executive Director, along with researchers from JICA Tohoku Centerand University of Hyogo, met with Mr. Sushil Gyewali, CEO of National Reconstruction
Authority (NRA) and other officials. The meeting discussed the joint research project on
Modeling Disaster Recovery Governance in Asia. Mr. Gyewali explained the process as wellas the progress of recovery from the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake. He reported that as of49

COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIPS

December 2019, 85% of all projects were completed. During the field visits, the team learned
that NRA utilizes 'User Committees' to reconstruct completely damaged heritage sites (e.g.,Ranipokhari). NRA also promotes 'Integrated Settlements' in reconstructing private houses(e.g., Ward 12 in Melamchi). Since NRA will be dissolved in the end of 2020, its functions willbe transferred to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority(NDRRMA) - a newly established agency. Secondly, ADRC, in collaboration with experts
from Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and GeoThings, organized a workshop on the'Utilization of ICT to Strengthen Disaster Resilience'. In this workshop, GeoThings
demonstrated the functions of 'geoBingAn' - a social media Apps that functions to reportpersonal safety and simple assessments (e.g., building damage) following a disaster. Thirdly,
ADRC coordinated other separate meetings with SAARC Secretariat, NDRRMA, Planning
Ministry, and JICA Nepal.

Section 5

Figure 5.5. Meeting at SAARC Headquarters in Kathmandu

5.2.4. Sentinel Asia
As member, ADRC participated in the regularly monthly meeting of the Sentinel Asia inFY 2020. At the meeting, ADRC mainly reported the latest Emergency Observation Requests
it received and provided details (Fig 5.1). ADRC also participated in the following events:
International Disaster Charter Board Meeting, 11 November 2020, which was organized
online. In this meeting, space agencies from the IDC member countries provided updates
on the latest DRR activity. ADRC functions as a Regional Support Office (RSO) in the50

COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIPSIDC framework. When ADRC receives an emergency observation request for Sentinel
Asia, ADRC escalates that request to IDC if asked to do so by the agency making therequest. Sentinel Asia targets Asian countries, but the IDC provides worldwide support incase of a more catastrophic disaster. ADRC has escalated 49 cases to IDC since 2011.
At this conference, ADRC proposed that a more robust network be developed.

Section 5Figure 5.6. IDC Board Meeting Agenda



UN International Conference on Space-based Technologies for Disaster Risk Reduction:
Lessons Learned during an Unprecedented Pandemic, 24-25 November 2020, which
was held online. This conference was organized by the Beijing office of the United
Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency
Response (UN-SPIDER), a UNOOSA programme. At this conference, ADRC Project
Director Mr. SUZUKI Koji gave a presentation entitled “Sentinel Asia Activation for aFlood Disaster in Japan during the COVID-19 Outbreak.” This presentation mentioned
how space-based technologies were effectively employed to better mitigate this disaster
under the challenging conditions posed by the pandemic.

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Figure 5.7. Conference Agenda
Section 5

5.2.5. UNDRR
On 1-2 December 2020, ADRC participated in the United Nations Office for Disaster RiskReduction (UNDRR) Asia-Pacific Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction Forum, which washeld online. More than 150 representatives of government organizations and relatedorganizations from Asian countries participated the Forum.

Figure 5.8. Screenshot of UNDRR Virtual Forum

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5.2.6. ESCAP/WMO: Typhoon Committee
With regard ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee activities, ADRC engaged in the following:52nd Session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee
On 10 June 2020, ADRC participated in the session as observer. The Session constitutedof reports from Typhoon Committee Secretariat, Working Group on Meteorology (WGM),
Working Group on Hydrology (WGH), and Working Group on DRR (WGDRR).

Japan

Meteorological Agency made a report on the activities of Regional Specialized MeteorologicalCenter (RSMC). In particular, the 2019 Typhoon Season summary was reviewed. It wasreported that out of 29 named tropical cyclones (TCs) formed, 18 reached typhoon (TY)
intensity. In the Session, the Typhoon Committee agreed to retire the names of the seventyphoons among them which brought about serious damages and to replace new ones.

Section 5

Figure 5.9. Screenshot of Session Materials

15th Integrated Workshops of the Typhoon Committee

On 1-2 December 2020, Vietnam hosted the Fifteenth Integration Workshop (IWS) ofESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. ADRC Senior Researcher Mr. Gerald Potutan delivereda keynote speech titled “Disaster Response Amidst COVID-19: Lessons from recent
typhoons in three ADRC member countries.” The presentation highlighted the respective
activities of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) agencies in the Philippines, India, and theRepublic of Korea in responding to recent typhoon disasters on top of COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to restrictions of people's movement, health protocol requirements of social53COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIPS

distancing and face coverings, DRM agencies introduced various new response measures
such as taking measures at evacuation centers.

Section 5Figure 5.10. Participants of 15th IWS

53rd Session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee
On 23-25 February 2021, Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) hosted the Fifty-ThirdSession was hosted, and ADRC participated as observer. The Session began with JMA’s
2020 Typhoon Summary report and constituted of reports from Typhoon Committee
Secretariat, Working Group on Meteorology (WGM), Working Group on Hydrology (WGH),and Working Group on DRR (WGDRR). Members and participants actively discussed theactivities, plans and schedules. During this session, PR China’s proposal for theestablishment of TC Collaborative Research Center was approved.

Figure 5.11. Participants of the 53rd Session

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