DG ECHO, AKF to implement disaster management accord

DG ECHO, AKF to implement disaster management accord
Sunday, December 02, 2007
ISLAMABAD: An agreement has been signed between the Aga Khan Foundation UK (AKF UK) and DG ECHO through its Disaster Preparedness Program (DIPECHO) to implement a project entitled “Building Local Leadership and Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction in Northern Pakistan.” The project will be implemented by Focus Humanitarian Assistance Pakistan (FOCUS) in three districts in Northern Pakistan.

Northern Pakistan is a highly disaster prone area vulnerable to multiple natural hazards including landslides. Glacial lake outburst floods, debris/mud flow, earthquakes and flash floods. The remoteness and inaccessibility of the area makes it important to build a disaster response capacity of local communities.

With DG ECHO/DIPECHI’s support FOCUS will continue to build local community capacity and will partner with a variety of stakeholders. Including local government, to strengthen and institutionalise disaster risk management (including prevention, mitigation and preparedness) enhanced so that they are able to play a leadership role in disaster risk reduction and management.

The project will improve community and government knowledge of local hazards and natural disaster risks. High risk communities will benefit from small-scale mitigation work to reduce the level of physical vulnerability and will also be targeted with in depth hazard, vulnerability, capacity and risk assessments which will help to enhance their disaster preparedness. Data from these assessments will feed into the refinement of FOCUS’ risk reduction model.