SKOPJE – A further step for the Programme for Disaster Risk Assessment and Mapping (IPA DRAM) will be taken Thursday in Skopje. An event dedicated to the main national stakeholders in charge of disaster risk assessment will be held at Hotel Continental with the purpose of discussing disaster loss data management and mapping, as well as collecting information regarding the Macedonian state of play for disaster risk assessment.
Risk assessment is key if we want to determine the possible impact of disasters. This is the main guiding principle of IPA DRAM, a Programme launched in December 2016 with the purpose of enhancing the capabilities of the Western Balkans countries and Turkey to ensure proper disaster risk management at national, regional and EU level. All relevant stakeholders from both the academic sector, national institutions and grassroots organizations will be involved in the Programme implementation in order to ensure a multi-hazard disaster risk assessment.
The key interlocutors of the 6th April meeting will be the Protection and Rescue Directorate (PRD) and the Crisis Management Centre (CMC) which are the national governmental agencies in charge of civil protection and risk monitoring. Invitees to the meeting will also include representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Institute of Earthquake and Seismology Engineering, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, the Faculty Engineering and the Faculty of Forestry, as well as delegates from the Agency for real estate cadaster.
IPA DRAM representatives will continue their visit in the country at the premises of the EU Delegation in Skopje where a meeting with EU policy officers will take place the following day on 7th April.
Through the fact-finding mission, the Programme which is currently in its inception phase, will explore the needs and current capabilities of all its partners in order to better target the actions and activities that will be implemented throughout its three-year duration.
The Programme is funded by DG ECHO – European Commission and is implemented by a Consortium led by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), and including the Italian Civil Protection Department (DPC), the National Protection and Rescue Directorate of the Republic of Croatia (NPRD), the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (ACPDR) and the Centro Internazionale in Monitoraggio Ambientale, CIMA Foundation (CIMA).