The Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South-Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE) proudly took part in the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 2025, held in Geneva, Switzerland between 2-6 June 2025, under the auspices of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

Representatives of the DPPI SEE Secretariat, together with national delegations from its Member States, actively engaged in the Platform’s high-level sessions, including thematic panels, plenary discussions, and ministerial meetings. Their participation reflected the region’s strong commitment to the implementation of the regional approach in disaster prevention and preparedness, as well as the promotion of coordinated and collaborative approaches to resilience-building.

Throughout the event, DPPI SEE Secretariat and member states:

• Contributed to discussions on disaster risk governance, preparedness, early warning, and anticipatory action.

• Shared regional experiences on inter-agency coordination, cross-border cooperation, and capacity-building for disaster risk management.

• Highlighted the added value of regional mechanisms such as DPPI SEE in enhancing collective disaster preparedness and prevention efforts.

• Engaged with international partners and stakeholders to foster new opportunities for technical cooperation and investment in disaster risk reduction.

Participation in GPDRR 2025 reinforced the strategic importance of regional solidarity and knowledge exchange in disaster risk reduction and confirmed the relevance of DPPI SEE’s mission to serve as a platform for cooperation, innovation, and shared responsibility in South-Eastern Europe.

The DPPI SEE Secretariat and its member states actively contributed as panelists and representatives in various panels and meetings, including the Ministerial Meeting at the Europe & Central Asia Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Budva from November 6–8, 2024.

The Head of the DPPI SEE Secretariat delivered the opening speech for the panel “Road to Resilience: Children and Youth in Action,” where he emphasized DPPI SEE's role in fostering a child- and family-sensitive regional approach in disaster risk management and civil protection. He also announced the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DPPI SEE and UNICEF, highlighting seven new collaborative activities planned under this partnership over the next two years.

Additionally, the DPPI SEE Secretariat participated in the MCR2030 Regional Coordinating Committee and in the session, “Towards a Network of Networks: Connecting Sub-Regional Hubs in Europe and Central Asia Region for Accelerating DRR.” The Head of the Secretariat also contributed to the European Commission Workshop on Regional Cooperation in Disaster Risk Management, presenting DPPI SEE’s perspective on regional collaboration in this field.

At the Ministerial Meeting, the Head of DPPI SEE Secretariat underscored its unique role as a prominent sub-regional hub in South-Eastern Europe, enhancing capacity across the region by integrating similarities and balancing differences among the ten national civil protection authorities. He highlighted DPPI SEE’s Disaster Management Training Program (DMTP), which organizes joint training, exercises, and activities to build a holistic approach in disaster preparedness and prevention through cross-sectoral support and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The Head further outlined DPPI SEE’s recent efforts to expand its activities and partnerships, including with UNICEF, UNDRR, UNDP, the Sphere Secretariat, DHL, RCC, RACVIAC, the Council of Europe, and others. He closed by emphasizing DPPI SEE’s vision for a stronger, more resilient region, where member states play a larger role in providing assistance and expertise across Europe and beyond.

The recently established DPPI SEE Working Group on Risk Assessments had its first online meeting on the 31 March 2023. The suggestion to have a permanent structure within DPPI SEE that will exchange on current activities, trends and challenges on risk assessment came up as an outcome of our workshop held in Belgrade last year. Acknowledging the importance of the risk assessments the 44.DPPI SEE Regional meeting approved the creation of the working group. During the meeting updates on national processes have been shared and the latest results from the sub-national Risk Inform Index for Albania, Montenegro, N. Macedonia and Romania were presented. The next meeting will be scheduled in the 2nd half of 2023.

On the 29th of March, Head of Secretariat visited RACVIAC - Center for security cooperation in Croatia. The meeting was used to explore possibilities and put into practice the collaboration agreement that was signed between the two organization in 2010. Upon the presentation of RACVIAC, Head of Secretariat elaborated the organizational structure and the mandate of DPPI SEE and informed the colleagues in RACVIAC about the priorities for 2023. The meeting was concluded with the intention to join forces and try to organize at least one training event in 2024. Details for that event will follow as soon as the planning process for 2024 starts in both DPPI SEE and RACVIAC.

On 30.03 we had a pleasure to host representatives from IOM Bosnia and Herzegovina and Red Cross Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting was used to share updates on current and planned activities in all 3 organization. Potential areas of collaboration in 2023 are seen in the context of the upcoming field exercise DPPI FLEX 2023 that will be organized in October. As part of the scenario for the exercise, camp management and camp coordination is envisaged and we are counting on the support from both IOM and Red Cross Society in designing a meaningful scenario.

The conference in Bucharest was the 1st event in DPPI SEE training program for 2023. Hosted by the Department for Emergency Situations of Republic of Romania, the event focused on the importance of risk information as foundation for effective disaster risk reduction. Trusted, accurate and widely used risk information saves lives, particularly when it reaches ‘the last mile’ and is put into practice to protect vulnerable communities, goods and systems. It is crucial that risk information is understandable and accessible to anyone who would use it, and addresses the systemic, cascading, and compounding, nature of risk – so that it may build societal resilience. Total number of 17 participants were supported by DPPI SEE and took active participation in both the technical session and the high level round table on the 24th February. The conference was also used for many bilateral meeting pushing forward the agenda for disaster risk reduction in Europe.

Civil Protection Days are the largest event in Slovenia aimed at presenting the national civil protection system to the wider population and raising awareness about its importance and capabilities. These events are organized every two years by the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief of Republic of Slovenia and always in different city in the country. This time it was in the oldest Slovenian city, Ptuj. The program dedicated for foreign guests where all DPPI SEE member states participated included a round table discussion on the topic of the necessary requirements for a national civil protection center and visit of the locations in the city where different segments of the civil protection system were presented. Once again great organization and excellent opportunity to network!

From the 18-21.09.2018 DPPI SEE member states had to opportunity to participate at this year INSARAG team leaders meeting hosted by the Romanian General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in collaboration with Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in its capacity as the INSARAG Secretariat. Experienced USAR practitioners as well as USAR Team Leaders from all over the world working on Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) had the opportunity to exchange on the latest developments in INSARAG. DPPI SEE participants have use the meeting to learn more about the certification process and to network with colleagues. Within DPPI SEE, Romania and Turkey are the only countries with INSARAG certified teams. Their expertise and knowledge of the certification process can be used by the other member states who are considering building such a capacity. DPPI SEE remains devoted to the mission of enhancing disaster preparedness capacities in the region.

• Image Gallery

This week DPPI SEE Head of Secretariat is joining over 3500 delegates from 150 countries at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland.

The aim of the meeting is to assess the progress on Sendai Framework implementation. During the meeting the Global Assessment Report for 2019 was launched describing the state of risk across the globe highlighting what's new, spotting emerging trends, reveling disturbing patterns, examining behavior and presenting progress in reducing risks. All DPPI SEE member states are participating at the 

event showing their grate commitment to the cause.

Envisaged with the DPPI SEE Annual Work Plan for 2019, Project Development Working Group had its first meeting on the 27.05 in Zagreb, Croatia. The meeting was used to  identify the scope of the working group and decide upon the working methodology that will be used. 17 participants in total from all DPPI SEE member states contributed to the meeting sending clear message that project development is something that can bring closer the member states and enhance working relations. By having both EU and non EU member states within DPPI SEE, the working group is excellent tool to be utilized for mutual cooperation, shearing best practices in project development and growing together as a region. 

DPPI SEE Secretariat will serve as a contact point for the working group and will facilitate further discussion among the member states on the topic.

• Image Gallery

DPPI SEE Head of Secretariat participated at the 2nd Leadership Meeting of the Southeastern European National Red Cross Red Crescent Societies that was held in Sofia during 04-05.06.2019. 

The Leadership Meeting promotes cooperation between Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies in the region of Southeastern Europe, and in particular strives to enhance the quality and effectiveness of coordinated disaster and crisis preparedness and response. During the meeting the concept Neighbors Help First was discussed with specific actions that will be taken in the next period. DPPI SEE Head of Secretariat used the opportunity to present the Initiative its structure, activities and future plans. Possibilities for future cooperation between Neighbors Help First network and DPPI SEE were discussed as well.

• Image Gallery