Islamabad: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with various international and local organizations, concluded its 2nd National Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action at its headquarters in Islamabad. The two-day event aimed to bolster Pakistan’s national framework for anticipatory action and climate resilience, drawing nearly 200 participants from a diverse array of sectors.
According to Press Information Department, the dialogue emphasized the need to institutionalize anticipatory action within national and provincial disaster management systems to address the rising frequency and intensity of climate-induced hazards such as floods, heatwaves, droughts, and disease outbreaks. Participants stressed the importance of early warnings, coordinated preparedness measures, and forecast-based interventions to mitigate humanitarian impacts and safeguard development gains.
Chairman NDMA, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, highlighted the necessity of anticipatory action in the face of escalating climate risks during the event’s closing session. He called for strengthened coordination among institutions, enhanced data-driven decision-making, and improved community-centered preparedness mechanisms. Deputy Country Director of the World Food Programme Pakistan, Thomas Conan, also commended NDMA’s leadership, reiterating the organization’s commitment to supporting strengthened early warning systems and risk communication.
The dialogue featured multiple sessions reviewing lessons from previous initiatives and exploring opportunities for expanding anticipatory frameworks. Recommendations included coordinated actions for implementing anticipatory actions, strengthening climate information systems, integrating anticipatory action with social protection, and promoting sustainable financing.
The event concluded with a commitment to developing a coordinated national roadmap for anticipatory action, aiming to enhance Pakistan’s preparedness and resilience against climate-related emergencies. NDMA remains dedicated to advancing anticipatory action as a cornerstone of disaster risk reduction in Pakistan through enhanced coordination and collective action.