Background

 Disasters affect the development all around the world and this makes disaster management one of the most important topics of the governments all over the globe. Between 2002 and 2011, there were 4.309 disasters recorded, resulting from natural hazards around the world where 1.124.854 people perished and a minimum of 1.313 billion USD was recorded in losses. In the year 2011 alone, 365 disasters claimed 33.760 lives; affected 206 million people and inflicted damages worth an estimated 366 billion USD.

 In order to manage the disasters effectively at all phases from disaster risk reduction to recovery, the direct, indirect and secondary effects of the disasters should be assessed in detail. All these effects are directly related to the economic growth of the affected country, mostly as an economic loss in the short run and rarely as an economic gain opportunity in the long run.

 On the other hand, there is a wide range of funds and financial resources that the stakeholders can benefit from during the disaster management process especially for disaster reduction projects and disaster relief operations. Furthermore, the disaster insurance that bears the cost of losses and damage caused by the disasters can/would have an important economic effect for the country in the recovery period.

 Seminar Objectives

 The Symposium was hosted by Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Republic of Turkey (AFAD) and was organized in cooperation with Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE).

In this symposium, in order to form an economic view of disasters, all the following issues were covered: economic effects of disasters, sustainable development, pre-disaster finance, disaster insurance and financial resources for disaster management.

The symposium aimed to:

• Inform the participants about the economic effects of disasters and the relationship between disasters and sustainable development.
• Raise the awareness about the importance of pre-disaster finance especially the disaster insurance.
• Enlightened the participants about the financial resources for disaster management and emergency relief.
• Provide the participants with an opportunity to come together to create a network, to share experience, exchange know-how and learn different implementation methods.

Target Audience and Methodology

An international arena was created with participation of disaster management and finance experts and economists from 20 countries and Turkey as a bridge country between Europe and Asia.  Academicians, representatives of UNDP, UNISDR, UN OCHA, Swiss Re, Turkish DASK, World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, European Union, public sector, private sector and NGO’s were invited as lecturers. Also, the representatives of other regional organizations were invited as observers.

Language

The language of the symposium was English and no translation was provided. Working documents and handouts were also distributed in English.

About the Co-organizer

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is an intergovernmental regional organization established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey for the purpose of promoting economic, technical and cultural cooperation among the Member States.

In 1992, the Organization was expanded to include seven new members, namely: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan.

Over the past 12 years the member states have been collaborating to accelerate the pace of regional development through their common endeavors. ECO has embarked on several projects in priority sectors of its cooperation including energy, trade, transportation, and agriculture and drug control.

Under the Directorate of Human Resources & Sustainable Development, the natural disaster management issue is covered.

Presentations:

• Emerging definitions and perspectives from practices NATURAL DISASTERS Economics and Development
• Economic Effects of Disasters
• New approaches to disaster risk financing: the role of insurance
• Disaster economics and governance of risks: investing today for a safer tomorrow
• Catastrophes and Insurance Lessons, Challanges and Trends
• The World Bank’s Disaster Risk Management Policy Building a Safe and Resilient Future for All
• INTERNATIONAL ECO SYMPOSIUM ON DISASTER ECONOMICS 3-5 April 2013
• Business Disaster and CSR april 2013
• Development and Recovering From Disaster
• The Economics of “Natural” Disasters
• EU's Financial Support for Disaster Management and Preparedness
• JICA’s direction and challenge on Disaster Risk Management
• Disaster Recovery Planning as a Means to Resilient Development
• Financial resources for disaster relief operations

This seminar was Serbian contribution to DPPI SEE Disaster Management Training Programme for 2019 and as such it is the last event in the year. Organized by the Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior of Republic of Serbia, the overall aim of the seminar was to exchange experiences and lessons learned between DPPI SEE participating states on the topic of Planning of protection and rescue activities in emergency situations - elaboration of National plans. Discussions during the seminar covered topics such as development of risk assessments, national emergency plans and different methodologies used for that process, as well as experiences in designing and activating protection and rescue structures and units.

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The Seminar was Serbian contribution to the Disaster Management Training Programme for 2019 within the activities of Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE) and was organized by the Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia.

The overall aim of the Seminar was to exchange experiences and lessons learned between DPPI SEE participating states on the emergency evacuation plans and roles and readiness of firefighters and first responders in case of emergencies. Discussions covered topics on adequate response, planning, preparation and coordination on emergency evacuation based on case studies and real time operations. 

Target audience included civil protection/emergency management experts from all DPPI SEE member states and the host responsible for planning procedures, coordination and first response in case of emergency evacuation.

Presentations

• 1_Eng_Presentation of SEM MoI - Nenad Paunovic SRB.pdf
• 1_Presentation od Sem MoI SRB Srdan Mitrovic Nis.pdf
• 2_Eng - Presentation of SEM MoI - Milos Majstorovic SRB.pdf
• 2_Prsentation of SEM MoI, SRB, Zoran Bijelic, Subotica.pdf
• 3_Presentation of Albania.pdf
• 4_Presentation of Bosna and Herzegovina.pdf
• 4_Presentation of Bosna and Herzegovina 2.pdf
• 4_Red Croos of Serbia care and accommodation.pdf
• 5_Presentation of Bulgaria.pdf
• 6_Civil Protection Croatia.pdf
• 7_Presentation North Macedonia.pdf
• 8_Presentation od Montenegro.pdf
• 9_Pesentation of Romania
• 10_Presenrtatation of Slovenia
• 10_1_resentation of Slovenia 2
• 11_Presentation of Turkey
• 12_Pesentation of Turkey 2
• Presentation of Mountain rescue Servise of Serbia
• Presentation og Police directorate

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During 05-06.03.2019 DPPI SEE Secretariat hosted the first event from the annual Disaster Management Training Program in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Together with UNISDR Europe office, training workshop has been conducted on Sendai Framework Monitoring process. Total number of 17 participants from all DPPI SEE member states had the opportunity to learn about the recent developments related with Sendai Framework Monitoring process, to exchange on their national experiences and to practice some of the online training tools available for Sendai Framework Monitoring. Detailed report on the workshop together with all the presentations from the training workshop will be uploaded on our web page in the following days. DPPI SEE Secretariat express its gratitude to the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sector for rescue and protection for their support in organizing this event. 

 In close collaboration with the Civil Protection Directorate of Republic of Croatia and the UNDRR office for Europe and Central Asia, DPPI SEE hosted the Round table on DRR financing and the workshop on the same topic. The Round table on DRR financing gathered around high officials from the member states as well as from UNDRR, UNDP, DG ECHO, World Bank, IFRC, Regional Cooperation Council and EuropaRE.  The workshop that followed, provided a platform for member states and international organizations to present global and regional experiences on investing in DRR, including sources of finance, and provided participants with an opportunity to learn about good practices in DRR financing both from within and outside the region. In parallel to these 2 events DPPI SEE held the 44.Regional meeting to discuss Annual Work Plan 2022 achievements and upcoming activities.

Upon the invitation of the Ministry for climate crisis and civil protection of the Hellenic Republic, Head of Secretariat participated at the EFDRR Action oriented dialogue in Athens (21 October 2022). The entire event was organized as a combination of working laboratories and a ministerial round table. During the working laboratories the topics of heat waves as major threats to our resilience was discussed in combination with the increased frequency of forest fires. During the ministerial round table the Head of Secretariat spoke about the achievements of DPPI SEE as a unique platform for collaboration and expressed support to the draft conclusions.

This week under the framework of IPA DRAM workshop on one of the program results was organized in Rome. The Electronic Regional Risk Atlas was presented during the workshop enabling the participants to test its capabilities through series of practical exercises. Despite IPA DRAM beneficiary countries, who are in the same time DPPI SEE member states, participants from Bulgaria and Romania also followed the workshop and contributed to its final outcome. There is an ongoing consultation process towards continuation of this particular activity under DPPI SEE when IPA DRAM ends in November 2019. As a tool the Electronic Regional Risk Atlas creates opportunities for enhanced regional cooperation in several areas like risk assessment and risk mapping, development of risk scenarios with trans boundary effects and by connection to existing historical global data sets it gives us overview of past events. Back to back to the ERRA workshop the Steering committee of IPA DRAM had its session where overview of overall program was given and future activities presented.

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Last week representatives from DPPI SEE member states had the opportunity to participate at the Seminar on the application of the SEVESO III Directive for underground storage of natural gas in Sibiu, Romania. The event organized by the Romanian General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations and under the auspices of their Presidency with the Council of the European Union. Topics on underground storage and distribution of natural gas, production and storage of biogas and LNG-bunkering, storage and distribution were covered. At the second day of the seminar the participants visited ROMGAZ Information and documentation center in Medias and observed practical implementation of SEVESO III. 
 
 
 

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The seminar was hosted by the Sector for Emergency Management of the Serbian Ministry of Interior and represents Serbian contribution to the DPPI SEE Disaster Management Training Programme for the year 2017. 

The event was organized with an aim to raise awareness on importance of continuous improvement of preparedness at local level for an efficient response to emergiences, by strenghtening the countries’ institutional and individual expert capacities for implementation of emergency plans as well as through provision of equipment and frequent trainings.

Target Audience were professionals engaged in awareness raising on the seminar topic  as well as the SEE civil protection experts responsible for development and monitoring of the impelmenation of national emergency response plans.

39 persons attended the seminar, out of which majority from Serbia and 16 participants from Albania, BiH, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia. 

• Final Agenda
• Event Report
• Image Gallery

The Conference on forest fires prevention and preparedness was heldon 22-23 February 2018 in Podgorica (Montenegro). Conference was organised within the DPPI SEE Disaster Management Training Programme (DMTP) and represents Montenegrin contribution to the Programme for the year 2018. The Conference was host by the Ministry of Interior – Directorate for Emergency Management of Montenegro, and co-organised with the National Protection and Rescue Directorate of the Republic of Croatia.

The main objective of the conference was to provide a platform for an exchange of information on best practices, experiences and lessons learnt of the DPPI SEE member countries and wide, relating to the prevention, preparedness and response in case of forest fires. The conference represented the reflection on forest fires which were affected the Mediterranean region during the summer period 2017.

The target audience was directors-general/Heads of the National emergency management/civil protection authority and experts in the field of fire protection or civil protection in DPPI SEE member countries and wider.

The conference was chaired by the Mr. Mirsad Mulić, Director General for Emergency Management of Ministry of Interior of Montenegro and Mr. Dragan Lozančić, Director General of the National Protection and Rescue Directorate of the Republic of Croatia.

The conference was attended by about 90 participants from different Montenegrin ministries, agencies, administrations, associations and local authorities (Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Army of Montenegro, National Parks of Montenegro, Red Cross of Montenegro, Municipal Protection and Rescue Services and Firefighting Volunteer Associations), DPPI SEE member countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, and Serbia), Italian Civil Protection Department and DG ECHO – Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.

In accordance with agenda participants from Montenegro and above mentioned DPPI SEE member countries, Italian Civil Protection Department and DG ECHO – Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations presented issues relating to prevention and preparedness for forest fires as well as an exchanged views and discussed about response capacities, experiences and lessons learnt from fire season 2017 with focus on strengthening on regional cooperation.

Main conclusions of the Conference are: continuing with enhancing and strengthening regional cooperation in the field of civil protection especially in area of prevention, preparedness and response in case of forest fires, simplifying procedures for sending international assistance; continuing with organization similar conferences, trainings and other events in order to improve and strengthen administrative and response capacities of DPPI SEE member countries and wider, strengthening regional capacities for responding in the event of forest fires, enhancing information and knowledge between DPPI SEE member countries and wider  relating to the fire prevention measures, exchanging and sharing information relating to fire protection legal framework, working on strengthening trust among DPPI SEE members and other actors and etc

Presentations:

• Federal Aadministration of Civil Protection, FBiH
• Direktorat za šumarstvo, lovstvo i drvnu industriju, Vlada Crne Gore
• Forest Fires - season 2017, DG ECHO
• Civil Protection Administration, Republika Srpska Government
• General Inspectorate for Emergency situation, Forest Fires Level of Preparedness of Romania
• Italian Civil Protection Department
• Forest and Wild Fire Season in Bulgaria, "Fire Safety and Civil protection" DG Ministry of Interior
• Forest fires prevention and preparedness and lessons learnt after forest fires season 2017 in the Republic of Macedonia
• National parks of Montenegro -fight with a fire
• Sherbimi i Mbrojtjes nga Zjarri dhe Shpëtimit FIRE FIGHTER AND RESCUE SERVICE
• Preparing for Forest Fires in Croatia 2018, NATIONAL PROTECTION AND RESCUE DIRECTORATE FIRE FIGHTING SECTOR, Croatia
• Protection and Rescue System in Montenegro Fire season 2017
• Municipality of Herceg Novi
• 2017 Fire Season - Croatian Coastal Area
• Wildfires in Serbia
• WILD FOREST FIRE IN DIVAČA AREA, 3th and 4th AUGUST 2017

Appendix:

• List of Participants
• Agenda
• Report on Event
• Image gallery

The Seminar on “Intervention on the occurrence of accidents and fires in tunnels, roads and railway traffic“ which will be held in Belgrade, Serbia on 12-13 April 2018. The Seminar is a Serbian contribution to the Disaster Management Training Programme for 2018 within the activities of Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE) and is organized by the Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia.

The overall aim of the Seminar is to exchange experiences and lessons learned between DPPI SEE participating states on the role and readiness of firefighters and first responders in case of emergencies in roads and railway tunnels accidents. Discussions will cover topics on adequate response, successful activities during interventions in disaster relief, communication and coordination of all agencies responding to incident, command and coordination of different services, procedures in responding, importance of joint exercises and other issues concerning mass casualty accidents in tunnels in road and rail transportation.

• Invitation
• Administrative Information
• Draft Agenda
• Report on the Event

Based on the invitation from the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (GIES) to the Member States of Disaster Pareparedness and Prevention Initiative for South Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE), representatives of DPPI SEE together with a delegation of GIES attended the International Conference on Environmental Legislation, Safety Engineering and Disaster Management - ELSEDIMA, in Cluj Napoca, 17-18 May 2018.

This activity represented Romania's contribution to 2018 Disaster Management Training Program under DPPI SEE, attended by 11 representatives from Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Head of the DPPI SEE Secretariat .

The conference aimed to create and develop a relevant dialogue, focusing on population involvement, risk awareness and communication, the need to create and develop a network of experts and organizations at national and local level to be integrated into the international flow.

GIES leadership has been represented by First Deputy General Inspector - Colonel Daniel Marian DRAGNE and Lieutenant Colonel Rareş PETRE, European Affairs, Assistance and International Relations Service, responsible officer for DPPI SEE cooperation.

At the opening of the conference, speeches were presented by the representatives of the Babeş-Bolyai University, GIES, DPPI SEE, Romanian Academy and Academy of Technical Sciences in Romania.

• Administrative Information
• Draft Agenda
• List of Participants
• Presentation IGSU pt ELSEDIMA 2018

Sector for Emergency Management of Republic of Serbia hosted the Host Nation Support workshop in Belgrade. The workshop was part of our DMTP program and was used to exchange on various elements that are part of sending and receiving assistance. In the last 10 years there were over 48 activations of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism only in this part of Europe. As the solidarity is strong in the region, over the years all of our member states have learned the importance of Host Nation Support preparedness planning. At the workshop the idea to organize a table top exercise on the topic next year was suggested.

DPPI SEE supported the participation of its member states at the biggest expo on firefighting and civil protection in Europe – INTERSCHUTZ 2022 in Hannover, Germany.

DPPI SEE and IPA DRAM partner countries came to Ljubljana this week to discuss the possibility for sustainability of results upon the end of IPA DRAM in November 2019. IPA DRAM has identified five main areas in which the programme results can be sustained and at the same time contribute to the strengthening of DPPI SEE. Those five areas are:

1. Hosting and maintenance of a regional Electronic Risk Atlas
2. Updating and upgrading the South Eastern Europe Knowledge Management System (SEEKMS)
3. Hosting and maintenance of regional DesInventar/Sendai for collection of disaster loss data and Sendai reporting;
4. Facilitation of hazard-specific regional working groups established by IPA DRAM on seismic risks, floods and wild fires;
5. Building on IPA DRAM successful capacity building methods (exchange of experts, cross-border learing and support) and the support of a regional pool of experts.

For the purpose of this workshop the organizational comparative advantage methodology was used. This methodology facilitates the process of performing systematic analysis of internal and external factors that affect an organizations ability to take new task,projects or objectives as well as identifying the resources that would be required should the 

organization decide to go ahead.

By working in 3 groups participants of the workshop have analyzed all of the 5 recommended IPA DRAM results. The report which will be the outcome from the workshop will include the findings of the analysis and will draft recommendations to be taken under consideration during the upcoming 38.DPPI SEE Regional Meeting in Tirana (16-17.04.2019).

DPPI SEE Secretariat would like to thank the entire IPA DRAM team and to the participants for their visionary thinking and support for having this event.

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The event was hosted and organized by AFAD (Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) with an objective to facilitate better understanding of DRR in the scope of “Safe School” initiative and illustrate the role and interoperability of different stakeholders (Ministries of Education, Disaster and Emergency Management Authorities of the SEE in application of DRR measures in a safe environment (e.g. schools).

The purpose of the two-day discussion platform was to provide the opportunity for information and experience sharing on DRR activities undertaken / to be undertaken under the “Safe School” Initiative. At the same time, by visiting an educational institution in the scope of “Safe School”, the event allowed participants to observe if the objectives of Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) had been achieved.  

 

The host (AFAD) shared information about the on-going project “Disaster Prepared School Campaign” activities taken in the scope of “Safe School”. The role and interoperability of different governmental institutions and measures taken for structural retrofitting in schools were described by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education, while Istanbul Project Coordination Unit (IPCU) created under İstanbul Provincial Special Administration presented the “Istanbul Seismic Risk Mitigation and Emergency Preparedness Project (ISMEP)”. 

 

In addition, DPPI SEE participants also shared their national experiences on the topic and further discussed good aspects and weaknesses of related activities in the region of South Eastern Europe.

 

Next to a number of Turkish representatives, 13 participants representing seven (7) DPPI SEE members (Albania, BiH, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey) took part in the platform discussions.

• Event Report
• Final Agenda

Due to the current situation with COVID 19 the training has been postponed.

As associated partner to the EU funded project LINKS, DPPI SEE member states participated at the workshop in Split, Croatia on the 24 June. The workshop had the following objectives:

• Exploring some of the products available in the Framework through the LINKS Community Center (LCC) and assess the usefulness of the LINKS products, especially of the online libraries revolving around technologies and guidelines;
• Fostering a dialogue on the effective uses of social media and crowd sourcing in all phases of disasters between different groups of practitioners;
• Sharing experiences and lessons learned on the last earthquakes that hit Croatia in 2020 and 2022.

Upon the invitation of the Protection and Rescue Directorate of Montenegro, Head of Secretariat at DPPI SEE participated at the EU BALANCE field exercise as lead trainer. Together with the Head of Secretariat the exercise was also supported by the Finance/Admin assistant and the two interns from Lund University – Masters program of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation, Spilios Iliopoulos and Tjorben Niklas Zenker.  The exercise was used to test Host Nation Support elements during a massive earthquake. International teams present together with the EUCPT and the national response dealt with USAR operations, first medical aid and medical transportation, firefighting operations, protection of cultural heritage and also applied rescue procedures including vulnerable groups. This was the final event of the EU BALANCE project and we are looking forward to the lessons learned event that will follow. Head of Secretariat also gave a statement to the national TV emphasizing the importance of the event and the preparations needed to host such an exercise.

DPPI SEE member states and DPPI SEE Secretariat were present at the EU Civil Protection Forum in Brussels, Belgium. During the warm up session held on the 27 June special attention was given to the Western Balkans by recognizing the efforts of Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina to become future members of UCPM. By the words of EU commissionaire Janez Lenarcic, the expansion of the UCPM with Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina is his top priority. During the panel session on the 29 June dedicated to success stories on international cooperation DPPI SEE Head of Secretariat had the honor to present the work of the Initiative and the achievements that have been made in the last 2022 years.