United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)

In December 1999, UN General Assembly vide Resolution 54/219 created the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), as a successor of the secretariat of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, in 2001. Assembly resolution 56/195 mandated the secretariat to serve as the focal point in the United Nations System for the coordination of disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations Systems and regional organizations and activities in socio-economic and humanitarian field.

The Government of India had contributed US$ 1 million in November, 2016 in the sideline of 7th Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction and signed a Statement of Cooperation to promote regional capacity buildings for the Asia Pacific Region in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

UNDRR has established following mechanism/ vehicles to achieve its objectives:

• The World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR): The World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) is a series of United Nations conferences focusing on disaster risk reduction and climate risk management in the context of sustainable development. The World Conference have been hosted by Japan: in Yokohama in 1994, in Kobe in 2005 and in Sendai in 2015. UNDRR served as the coordinating body for the Second and Third UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction in 2005 and 2015. The conferences bring together government officials and other stakeholders across the world to discuss how to strengthen the sustainability of development by managing disaster and climate risks. The Third UN World conference held in March 2015 adopted the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030). Previous conference outcomes include the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005 – 2015): Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters in 2005 and the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World in 1994.

• Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR): It acts as the main global forum for continued and concerted emphasis on disaster risk reduction. Open to all Countries and the UNDRR stakeholders, it primarily assesses the progress made in the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) now Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), enhances awareness of disaster risk reduction, share experiences and learn from good practices, also identify remaining gaps and necessary actions to accelerate national and local implementation. It meets biannually and India attends its meeting regularly.

• Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR): To monitor and share the country’s progress at a regional platform for Asian-Pacific region, AMCDRR was conceptualized. AMCDRR provides a platform for engagement of Ministers of about 61 countries, dealing with Disaster Management for plan and policy making at regional level in line with the global framework on disaster risk reduction. It meets biannually. The 1st meeting of the AMCDRR held in China in August, 2005. Since then seven such Conferences were held to enhance and promote regional cooperation for seamless implementation of global framework like SFDRR and HFA. The 2nd and 7th AMCDRR were hosted by Government of India in 2007 and 2016 respectively. Normally, AMCDRR is assisted by the ISDR Asia Partnership (IAP), meeting (s) of which is/are held prior to main conference.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)

The United Nations office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) is formed in December 1991 by the General Assembly resolution 46/182. The resolution was designed to strengthen the response of United Nations Organizations to complex emergencies and natural disasters by creating the Department of Humanitarian Affairs and replacing the office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator, which has been formed in 1972. UNOCHA has established following mechanism/ vehicles to achieve its objectives:

• United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC): The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) is a stand by team of disaster management professionals which are nominated and funded by member governments, OCHA, UNDP and operational humanitarian UN Agencies such as WFP, UNICEF and WHO. The UNDAC system is designed to assist the disaster affected country and the UN in meeting international needs for early and qualified information during the first phase of a sudden emergency, in the coordination of incoming international relief and in responding to a short notice The Government of India joined the membership of UNDAC and paid, an amount of US $50,000 in 2001, with UNOCHA, the implementing body of UNDAC programmes.
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• International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG): International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) is a global network of more than 80 countries and disaster response organizations under the United Nations umbrella. INSARAG deals with urban search and rescue (USAR) related issues. INSARAG aims at establishing standards for international USAR teams and methodology for international coordination in earthquake response. Members of INSARAG are both earthquake-prone and responding countries and organisations. INSARAG was established in 1991, following initiatives of international search and rescue teams that responded to the 1988 Armenia earthquake. India is a member of INSARAG Asia Pacific Regional Group and has been participating in the INSARAG meetings at international and regional levels. Instructors from India participate in the mock exercises organized by the INSARAG. India was the Chairman of INSARAG Asia Pacific Regional Group in 2005-06 and organized the meeting as well as the UNDAC Refresher Course during this period of the chairmanship.
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Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR)

The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) is a global partnership program administered by the World Bank Group. GFDRR supports developing countries to: (i) mainstream disaster risk management and climate change adaptation in development strategies and investment programs, and (ii) improve the quality and timeliness of resilient recovery and reconstruction following a disaster. GFDRR was launched on September 29, 2006 to support implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA). On March 18, 2015, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Sendai Framework) was adopted. GFDRR now supports the implementation of this framework.The Consultative Group (CG) is GFDRR’s primary decision-making and advisory body. Consisting of Members and Observers, the CG sets GFDRR’s long-term strategic objectives and oversees expected results. The Consultative Group has a Chair, who is a representative of the World Bank Group, and a Co-chair, who is a Member of the CG.

India became a member in 2013 by paying one time membership fee of US$ 500000. The membership fee was paid in three installments during 2013-2015.

India has been unanimously chosen as co-chair of the Consultative Group (CG) of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) for two years. The decision was taken during the CG Meeting of GFDRR held in Geneva, Switzerland on 14th, May, 2019 of the 6th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 2019.

SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC)

The 13th SAARC Summit at Dhaka in November 2005 considered the issues of regional cooperation for preparedness and mitigation of national disasters and approved the offer of India to set up a SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) in New Delhi. The Centre was inaugurated on 10th October 2006 at the premises of National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in New Delhi.

At the 37th Meeting of SAARC Council of Ministers (CoM) held in Pokhara, Nepal on 17th March, 2016, SAARC decided to merge the four regional institutions namely SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC New Delhi, India), SAARC Forestry Centre (SFC Thimpu, Bhutan), SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre (SCZMC Male, Maldives) and SAARC Metrological Centre (SMC Dhaka, Bangladesh), which have been closed w.e.f. 31.12.2015, paving the way for the establishment of a new SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) to be located in India.

Accordingly, an Interim Unit of SDMC was set up in the NIDM Campus in New Delhi in June, 2016 and later in November, 2016, the premises of Interim Unit of SDMC was shifted from NIDM, New Delhi to Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management campus at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The centre is dedicated to work according to the approved blue print of SDMC-IU.

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Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC)

A resolution was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in 1997 to reduce damage from natural disasters substantially by designating the 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. Following a series of national conferences held during the period of 1994-1997 to discuss the cooperation for disaster reduction, a ministerial level conference was held in Kobe, Japan in 1995 in which 28 countries from Asia and other regions participated. It adopted the Kobe declaration which includes an agreement to consider the creation of a system, which has the functions of a disaster reduction centre for the Asia region. The Asia Disaster Reduction Centre (ADRC) was thus established in Kobe in 1998 following an agreement from the participating countries with the Japanese government.

The mission of ADRC is to enhance disaster resilience of the member countries, to build safe communities and to create a society where sustainable development is possible. The centre works to build disaster resilient communities and to establish networks among countries through many programmes including personnel exchange in this field. Currently, there are 29 member countries of ADRC. Each member country has to bear the annual contribution calculated on the basis of GDP

India is one of the founder members of ADRC. Presently, India contributes about US$28,100 annually to ADRC as membership fee.

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) is established in 1986 at Bangkok, Thailand. It is a non- profit, non-political, autonomous, regional organization serving as a regional centre in Asia-Pacific for promoting disaster preparedness, disaster mitigation, awareness generation, exchange of information, community participation etc.

India is a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT), since August 2000. Union Home Secretary is one of the Members of the BoT of ADPC. In 2004, the ADPC became an international body (inter governmental organization). Officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs have been attending the meetings of the Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) of the ADPC and meetings of the Board of Trustees.

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)

The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) was established in 1994. The ARF membership including India, which joined in 1996, is 25 countries. The first ARF meeting in 1994 brought together Foreign Ministers from Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, European Union (Presidency), Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, PNG, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, USA and Vietnam. Based on its Terms of Reference, the ARF Unit’s role and functions are as follows:

• To support the enhance role of the ARF Chair, including interaction with other regional and international organizations, defense officials dialogue and Track II organizations,
• To function as depository of ARF documents/papers,
• To manage database/registry,
• To provide secretarial works and administrative support, including serving as the ARF’s institutional memory.

The ARF is the Principle Forum for Security Dialogue in Asia and complements the various bilateral alliances and dialogues, which underpin the region’s security architecture. The ARF is premised on the idea drawn from the ASEAN experience that a process of dialogue can produce qualitative improvements in political relationships. It provides a platform for members to discuss current regional security issues and develop cooperative measures to enhance peace and security in the region.

As all ASEAN members are automatically ARF members, India is actively participating in the ARF meetings and disaster relief exercises.