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APDIM in the News

Iran hands over APDIM governing council presidency to Pakistan

Islamic Republic News Agency

20 February 2020

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Photo by IRNA

Hamid Pourmohammadi, Iran’s Deputy Vice President for Plan and Budget Organization and former head of APDIM Governing Council handed over the presidency of the body to Chairman of Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal at the beginning of the Fourth Governing Council Meeting of APDIM in Islamabad.

Pourmohammadi expressed his gratitude to the Government of Pakistan for hosting the Fourth Session of the Governing Council of APDIM and for the warm hospitality provided to the participants of the session.

The official added that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a committed member of the United Nations, is implementing its 6th Five-year National Development Plan.

“The Plan emphasizes on the role of knowledge-based economy, coupled with the development of advanced technologies in a wide range of subjects. In unison with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, the current Five-year national plan is based on the notions of equality and inclusion,” said Pourmohammadi.

He noted that according to the official data of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the world economy enjoyed a relatively good level of growth in the year 2019, and the people of the world, to different extents, have enjoyed the fruits of this advancement.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, however, has recently witnessed a significant challenge in achieving its economic growth targets and experienced spreading income inequality, no thanks to the unilateral economic sanction of the U.S. Government, which are not only against the objectives of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, but are also in contradiction with multiple Articles of the United Nations Charter by targeting civilian and humanitarian items such as food and medicine, and undermining human safety,” he added.

The official went on to say that as a major step towards in finding answers for challenges that undermine safety and resilience against all types of disasters, the Islamic Republic of Iran, in collaboration with and thanks to the support from United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) member states and associate members, took the initiative and supported ESACP in establishing APDIM in the region and is pleased to host the Centre in Tehran, as decided in ESCAP Resolution 71/11 adopted in 2015.

He said the APDIM held the third session of its Governing Council in Tehran on 19 December 2018 which was preceded by a Regional High-level Expert Meeting on 18 and 19 December 2018.

“The Council reviewed the Center’s work since its second session and expressed its appreciation to the Centre for initiating all the key programs of the approved work plan for 2018 in accordance with the strategic plan and the three thematic pillars including: information and knowledge repository, capacity development, and regional information services for cross-border disasters,” said Pourmohammadi.

He added ever since APDIM started its activities, it has initiated, organized, hosted, and sponsored several rounds of workshops, training courses, field visits, needs assessments studies, advisory missions, UN project implementations, international summits, Expert Group Meetings, and Governing Council Meetings.

“I am very pleased to note that APDIM has successfully expanded its activities in line with the strategic program adopted by the Council and based on the priorities and needs of the countries of the region. Today, the expectations of the countries of the region show that APDIM’s mission and services are relevant and needed more than ever,” the official stated.

“On behalf of the Government of Islamic Republic of Iran, I would like to emphasize on my country’s willingness and readiness to promote multilateral cooperation within ESCAP members and associates,” said Iran’s Deputy Vice President.

He added Iran is committed to continue its political, legal, financial, technical, and logistic support for APDIM, as it has pledged in Resolution 71/11.

A two-day summit of High-Level Expert Consultation on Disaster Information Management and fourth session of the Asian and Pacific Center for the Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM) began in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The meeting is being held in collaboration with United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and National Disaster Management Authority of Pakistan (NDMA).

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