Geneva, The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan, chaired by Lieutenant General Inam Haider HM(I), led the UN International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) Steering Group Meeting today in Geneva, Switzerland. This session marked a critical juncture in enhancing global disaster response strategies and cooperation, with a focus on governance and innovative technology in disaster preparedness.
According to Press Information Department, the meeting, organized by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), included participants from affiliated countries across three regions. Lt. Gen Inam Haider, who is also the current Chair of the Asia Pacific Region for INSARAG, highlighted the urgent need for regional collaboration to address challenges from climate change-induced disasters. He emphasized the importance of policy guidelines to improve disaster response mechanisms and advocated for enhanced training and the use of technology to better manage disasters.
The session also introduced the “INSARAG Turkey/Syria After Action Review Report,” presented by Ahmet Dogas, Counselor at the UN Permanent Mission of the Republic of Turkey, focusing on lessons learned from recent disaster responses. Discussions throughout the meeting stressed the role of international cooperation in rapid disaster response and the potential of innovative technologies for disaster risk reduction.