ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik on Sunday held an interactive meeting with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis to discuss key points related to disaster management and resilience upon his visit here to NDMA headquarters.

The meeting focused on various aspects of disaster preparedness and collaboration between the two countries in the field of disaster management, a news release said.

The Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) emphasized the significance of local community engagement in order to enable disaster resilience.

He highlighted the unprecedented Floods 2022 emphasizing the need for an efficient Early Warning System (EWS) in place to mitigate the adverse impacts of such disasters.

He stressed the crucial role of disaster preparedness in Pakistan, stating that managing two simultaneous disasters can be a daunting task and have severe consequences.

He apprised the Swiss delegation of inclusive and people-centric disaster preparedness system, mentioning three National Simulation Exercises (SimExs) conducted by NDMA to enhance disaster preparedness in Pakistan.

The Chairman NDMA informed about the establishment of NEOC to generate National Common Operating Picture (NCOP) for all relevant stakeholders to mitigate likely impacts of disasters and setting up NDMA’s Think Tank, NIDM to collaborate with think tanks, NGOs, INGOs, academia, and industry stakeholders both domestically and globally to develop effective policy recommendations and reduce disaster risk. He underlined the importance of reaching out to regional universities for knowledge sharing and capacity building.

Swiss Foreign Minister, Ignazio Cassis, expressed his gratitude for MoU on disaster management cooperation between Switzerland and Pakistan. He highlighted the similarity in topography and challenges faced by both countries, and emphasized the importance of technological knowledge in dealing with complex disaster management challenges and risk management. Minister Cassis expressed his interest in exploring common solutions and collaboration opportunities.

Swiss Minister lauded the development and achievements in disaster management in Pakistan and expressed his anticipation for future cooperation based on the MoU. The meeting concluded with an agreement to continue to work closely together to enhance disaster management capabilities and share best practices in the field.