Pakistan, Turkey to boost collaboration in disaster management; through training; exercises

ISLAMABAD, Aug 7 (APP):Pakistan and Turkey Tuesday agreed to boost collaboration in the field of disaster management through increased interaction in training, sharing of experiences and joint exercises.
The two sides agreed to further intensify mutual cooperation during a meeting between Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt General Omar Mahmood Hayat and President of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) Dr Mehmet Güllüoglu at Ankara. Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi also attended the meeting.
Both sides agreed to work on a number of initiatives, including sharing of experiences and knowledge in disaster management, training of experts, joint exercises, hosting of joint conference, and high-level exchanges to intensify cooperation, bilaterally and in the wider regional context, a press release of the Pakistan Embassy in Turkey said.
Dr Mehmet Güllüoglu gave a comprehensive briefing about AFAD, its objectives, initiatives, projects, and plans for meeting various kinds of emergencies at home and abroad, and expressed keen desire to develop institutional linkages with the NDMA.
The NDMA chairman conveyed deep appreciation for Turkey’s assistance for relief and rehabilitation operations following the 2005 earthquake and devastating 2010 floods in Pakistan. He said given the extreme vulnerability to large-scale recurring natural disasters, the Government of Pakistan had strengthened its indigenous response mechanisms to natural disasters and was progressively moving towards a proactive approach of disaster risk management, capitalizing on its own rich experiences as well as adopting best global practices.
Lt Gen Hayat visited the AFAD Training Centre in Ankara and appreciated the high quality training being provided.