ISLAMABAD, May 11 (APP):The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with international humanitarian and development partners, on Monday launched the second National Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action in Islamabad to strengthen Pakistan’s disaster preparedness systems through forecast-based early action and coordinated climate resilience measures. The two day dialogue, being held at NDMA headquarters from May 11 to 12 under the National Coordination Forum on Anticipatory Action, has brought together …
NDMA hosts National Dialogue to advance anticipatory action against climate disaster
ISLAMABAD, May 11 (APP):The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with international humanitarian and development partners, on Monday launched the second National Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action in Islamabad to strengthen Pakistan’s disaster preparedness systems through forecast-based early action and coordinated climate resilience measures.
The two day dialogue, being held at NDMA headquarters from May 11 to 12 under the National Coordination Forum on Anticipatory Action, has brought together around 200 participants from government institutions, UN agencies, humanitarian organizations, financial institutions, academia, climate experts, private sector representatives and community groups.
The event is being organized jointly by NDMA, the World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Welthungerhilfe (WHH), Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Addressing the opening session, NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik stressed the need for trigger-based anticipatory actions and standardized disaster risk reduction mechanisms under the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (NDRRS) 2025-2030 to build a resilient disaster management regime in the country.
He said anticipatory action must be activated in advance to minimize humanitarian and economic losses caused by climate induced hazards, adding that timely preparedness, effective early warning dissemination and coordinated institutional responses were essential to protecting vulnerable populations.
The forum also marked the soft launch of Pakistan’s National Anticipatory Action Strategy, aimed at establishing a comprehensive national framework for forecast based early action, institutional coordination and resilience building against disasters triggered by climate change.
Representatives of partner organizations, including WFP Country Director Ms Coco Ushiyama, officials of the German Red Cross, PRCS, FAO Pakistan and Welthungerhilfe Pakistan, highlighted the importance of collaborative approaches to strengthen preparedness systems and reduce the impacts of humanitarian emergencies in the country.
Participants noted that increasingly frequent climate-induced hazards such as floods, droughts, heatwaves and disease outbreaks had made anticipatory action a national priority, requiring stronger institutional coordination and sustainable financing mechanisms.
Discussions during the platform are focused on reviewing lessons learnt from previous anticipatory action initiatives, harmonizing sectoral approaches and integrating anticipatory action into national and provincial planning processes.
Officials said the dialogue was expected to contribute towards the development of a national roadmap for embedding anticipatory action into Pakistan’s disaster management framework, reflecting a broader shift from reactive disaster response to proactive risk mitigation and resilience-building strategies.
