PDC renews MOU with NCDR during International Training Workshop 2014

This year, more than 30 international participants from south, southeast, and east Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States, as well as representatives of NCDR and national partner agencies attended the Taiwan National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Risk Reduction (NCDR) 10th Annual International Training Workshop (ITW) in Taipei, October 27-31. The event—emphasizing disaster recovery this year—included presentations from senior NCDR officials as well as executive leaders from the Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) in Japan, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) in Thailand, and Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) in Hawaii.

Continuing the practice of previous years’ engagement, PDC Deputy Executive Director Chris Chiesa and Senior Disaster Risk Analyst Paul Kailiponi were sponsored speakers and participants at the ITW—the only representatives from any U.S. institution. Chiesa presented information about PDC’s work in the region; and the application of science and technology for disaster recovery, monitoring, and assessment; and he demonstrated how satellite imagery was used to assess damage and recovery efforts following the Indian Ocean tsunami. Kailiponi shared some of the unique challenges to disaster recovery in Southeast Asia and expanded on how PDC information and technology can help nations overcome these challenges.

The event also featured an MOU signing between PDC and NCDR, renewing their commitment for a second five-year-term, to advance disaster risk reduction (DRR) objectives, including data sharing to support risk assessment and early warning in the region. NCDR Secretary General Dr. Wei-sen Li commented that it was the first renewal of a U.S.-based MOU by NCDR, and Chiesa remarked, “NCDR has been a valued partner in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region during the past decade, sharing information and providing technical support on project implementation. We looking forward to expanding that relationship to explore emerging challenges in disaster management and disaster risk reduction (DM/DRR) to include leveraging advances in open data/big data to speed response and recovery efforts.”

For more on the PDC-NCDR partnership:
• Read about the 10th anniversary of Taiwan’s NCDR,
• Read the article about the formalization of the partnership,
• Find out more about NCDR participation in GHIN,
• Learn about PDC’s participation in a Taiwan training workshop, and
• Read about a delegation of Taiwan military officers visiting PDC.