The 14th meeting of the Asia Pacific Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) on Disaster Management concluded here Wednesday adopting a 4-point Declaration.
The 150 delegates agreed to devise collective actions for coherence between Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SDRR); Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, among others, relevant frameworks at the national and international level.
The representatives of various bodies and partner organizations related to disaster management from a total of 30 countries in the Asia and Pacific have also reaffirmed their commitment to promote partnership at different levels and assisting countries in Asia and the Pacific to harness the benefits for sustainable development and resilience through DRR, climate change adaptation, risk-informed rural and urban communities.
The three-day event hosted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) of Nepal has also agreed to encourage the RCC member countries to actively promote women leadership in DRR and CCA including women's representation at the RCC and other regional and global forum.
MoHA Disaster Management Division's Chief Joint-Secretary Indu Ghimire said that although Nepal was ahead of other Asian countries in formulation of disaster management related Acts and rules and in post-disaster rescue operation, it lagged behind in terms of disaster risk reduction.
She was of the belief that the meeting would be fruitful in experience sharing among the RCC member countries for saving people's lives and properties from climate change-related disaster.
Reciting the 4-points of the Declaration, Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC)'s Executive Director Hans Guttman viewed the meeting to be fruitful in exploring the new avenues for exchange of cooperation and experience sharing on the best practices and lessons regarding the disaster risk management and capacity building on climate-change adaptation among others.
ADPC Country Representative in Nepal Man Bahadur Thapa said that the RCC meeting was held in Nepal for the first time it deliberated on issues relating to sustainable development and disaster management.
The meeting that had kicked off after inaugural by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, RCC president Mohammad Idre of Pakistan had handed over the RCC chairmanship to Nepal.
Before this, the RCC meetings were held in Thailand in 2000 and 2001, in India in 2002, in Bangladesh in 2004, in Vietnam in 2005, in China in 2006, in Sri Lanka in 2007, in the Philippines in 2010, in Cambodia in 2011, in Mongolia in 2013, in Myanmar in 2014, in Bhutan in 2015 and in Pakistan in 2016.
