Disaster Risk Management in East Asia
EAP DRM Team placement within EAP Region's Activities
The East Asia Sustainable Development Department (EASSD) has delegated the Urban Development Sector Unit (EASUR) as the focal point for disaster risk management (DRM) coordination in the region. EASUR contains a small team to coordinate and support all DRM work across the region. The DRM team has run a cohesive program over the past year and has developed a business plan for the region that will become the regional strategy. The team has also 1) delivered an effective knowledge and learning program, 2) begun drafting standard operating procedures (SOPs) for emergency response, and 3) maintained a regional quick response team (QRT) for emergency events, and a cross-sectoral virtual network of regional staff.
The DRM team is now managing US$8 million in trust fund resources from the GFDRR, which funds AAA work and technical assistance programs at the country and regional levels. An additional US$1.5 million has been allocated for China and US$1.5 million has been allocated for Myanmar; these funds are managed by members of the DRM virtual network.
Knowledge and Learning in EAP DRM
The EAP DRM team has been implementing a ‘knowledge and learning’ program. So far the program has created and maintained an EAP DRM internal website. It has also run a successful training session collaboratively with the South Asia region in Bangkok (April '08). Based on feedback from the Bank staff training, it was suggested that training sessions on specific issues be created to target a broader audience and to leverage experiences from other regions. GDLN can help us reach a broader audience (especially non-Bank staff), and at the same time make sure training is not seen as a one-off event, but a continuous process.
The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) is in the process of developing a 3 year learning program on disaster risk management targeting EAP and SAR–including Damage and Loss Assessment and Disaster Risk Assessment, Mitigation, and Financing. Cross regional work experience sharing will also be useful going forward especially from more experienced regions like ECA and SAR. For example, ground level experiences of implementing Bank financed risk reduction and risk finance projects (from task teams, local governments, relevant ministries, technical institutions, etc.) can be shared with EAP countries and Bank staff during the process of its strategic transition toward risk reduction and risk finance projects.
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