JICA's Efforts to Formulate a Local Disaster Risk Reduction Plan "Contribution to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Global Target (e)"

March 6, 2019

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction has the Global Target (e), i.e., "Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020," but many countries have only a response plan that will not lead to the reduction of existing and future risks alone, and they do not also have appropriate local disaster risk reduction strategies/plans. Therefore, the Disaster Risk Reduction Group of JICA is currently focusing on the support for the formulation of "Local Disaster Risk Reduction Plans" for those countries.

Specific examples of initiatives are as follows:

FY 2018 Knowledge Co-Creation Program "Comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction (A)"

This event was attended by 10 government officials from nine countries (Haiti, Indonesia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam) from January 7 (Monday) to February 15 (Friday), 2019. In the program, development exercises on the "Local Disaster Risk Reduction Plan" were conducted, and based on the "Eight(8) Steps for Developing Local Disaster Risk Reduction Plans" proposed by the JICA Disaster Risk Reduction Group, the exercises were divided into five (5) sessions.

Lectures and study tours were arranged in conjunction with the exercises, and the participants developed their own draft plans. Each participant gained a better understanding of each step they practiced, and on the last day, they were able to develop a local disaster risk reduction plan that accurately covered the main points of each step.

Although JICA had worked with the moderators of the program through trial and error, this knowledge co creation program was also planned for FY2019, with more useful curricula, by reflecting the lessons learned from the results into the exercise guidelines and the eight (8) steps.

Seminar on the Development of Local Disaster Risk Reduction Plans in Sri Lanka

On Tuesday, February 26, 2019, a seminar was held in Colombo, headed by Mr. Nagai, JICA expert for the Ministry of Disaster Management, to promote the development of local disaster risk reduction plans. The seminar was attended by executives of line agencies, including the Minister and the Secretary of the Ministry, local offices of the Ministry, local governments, related ministries and agencies of Sri Lanka, the Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka and experts from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan, consisting of 140 people altogether.

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Seminar on the Development of Regional Local Disaster Risk Reduction Plans for Sri Lanka.

In the seminar, the importance of a local disaster risk reduction plan and its practical development procedures (eight steps) were presented by the Japanese side. The Sri Lankan side likewise presented Sri Lanka's current situation and efforts on disaster risk reduction management for the formulation of local disaster risk reduction plans, as also presented by an official who participated in the above mentioned "Comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction (A)".

Japan and Sri Lanka mutually discussed practical and future issues on the plan formulation. Through the seminar, each stakeholder became able to have a concrete image on the matters and activities that should be taken into consideration and to carry them out. In particular, the common awareness to promote collaboration between central and local governments was achieved.

Based on the results of this seminar, Mr. Nagai and experts from Sri Lanka are to work together to formulate a local disaster risk reduction plan for the Kalu Ganga River Basin, and shall also support the formulation of a local disaster risk reduction plan for the Kelani Ganga River Basin through the knowledge co creation program implemented newly in FY2019.

Seminar on Local Disaster Risk Reduction Plans in Vietnam

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Presentation: Mr. Kimio Takeya, Distinguished Technical Adviser to the President of JICA.

On March 6, 2019 (Wednesday), a workshop was held in Hanoi to promote the implementation of the "Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction" in the provinces. This workshop was organized by Mr. Tachi, JICA expert for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Vietnam Disaster Management Authority (VNDMA). The workshop was attended by Mr. Hoai, Director General of VNDMA, as well as the other officials involved in disaster risk reduction from all the 63 provinces, to discuss the promotion, formulation and implementation of local disaster risk reduction plans.

From the Vietnamese side, representatives from three provinces presented the current situation and issues related to the formulation of their local disaster risk reduction plans, including their future improvement plans. JICA once again reiterated the higher importance of pre disaster investment and the formulation of disaster risk reduction plans, based on the "Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction," than the main activities so far made for disaster response. In addition, JICA presented the "Eight (8) steps for developing Local Disaster Risk Reduction Plans."

In this workshop, it was realized that the current local disaster risk reduction plans are centered on disaster response, so that JICA once again emphasized to the provincial officers in charge the importance of shifting to pre disaster investment and preventive measures in the sector of disaster risk reduction, and of reflecting them in their disaster risk reduction plans.

In future, JICA will continue to support the Vietnamese side in promoting the development of local disaster risk reduction plans in cooperation with JICA's technical cooperation projects as well.