Islamabad: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) convened the inaugural meeting of the National Coordination Forum on Anticipatory Action today, spearheaded by NDMA Chairman Lt. General Inam Haider Malik. The meeting brought together key stakeholders from provincial disaster management authorities, international organizations, and partner NGOs to discuss strategies for enhancing Pakistan’s climate and disaster resilience.

According to National Disaster Management Authority announcement issued on 03 July 2024, the forum focused on adopting an anticipatory approach to disaster risk management, which is deemed essential for bolstering the country’s preparedness and response capabilities. Chairman Malik highlighted the urgent need for Pakistan to adapt to its increasing vulnerability to climate change through effective, preemptive measures.

Participants, including representatives from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), German Red Cross (GRC), Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Welthungerhilfe (WHH), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and UNICEF, shared insights on the progress of ongoing initiatives supporting the national anticipatory action (AA) agenda.

The meeting concluded with a unanimous agreement on the necessity for coordinated and collaborative efforts to implement AA interventions across Pakistan, building on the existing work and adapting global and regional best practices to the local context.