Erzurum – March 5, 2025
The ECO Secretariat and AFAD Türkiye organized a Technical Expert Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) on March 4-7, 2025 in Erzurum, the ECO Tourism Capital 2025. Delegates from the ECO Member States including, Iran, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, and Türkiye, as well as from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and APDIM participated in the event. The ECO delegation was led by Dr. Husnu Tekin, Director of HRSD.
The meeting on DRR aimed at enhancing collaboration among member states to develop effective strategies for disaster risk management as well as to focus on reviewing the implementation status of the Road Map of the ECO Regional Framework on DRR for 2021-2025, as well as gathering feedback from member states for the updated version of the framework for 2025-2030 aligning the Sendai Framework. The meeting also explored the necessity of establishing ECO Funds for DRR to enhance regional cooperation and technological innovation.
Actively engaging in discussions, sharing diverse experiences and best practices in disaster risk reduction, the participant underscored the importance of integrating sustainable development goals with disaster risk management, reinforcing their commitment to collaboration and knowledge-sharing. By aligning strategies with the Sendai Framework, they emphasized a unified approach to effectively mitigate disaster risks and enhance resilience.
The meeting was followed by ECO Winter Drill with the participation of representatives from Afghanistan, Iran, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, and Türkiye, as well as delegates from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and APDIM. The ECO Winter Drill aimed at ensuring adequate awareness, preparedness, cooperation and field experience in winter conditions.
