ISLAMABAD, JUL 09 (DNA) — Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis on Sunday met Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lt Ge Inam Haider Malik to discuss key points related to disaster management and resilience.
According to reports, foreign minister Ignazio Cassis visited NDMA headquarters and held an interactive meeting with the NDMA head. The meeting focused on various aspects of disaster preparedness and collaboration between the two countries in the field of disaster management.
The NDMA Chairman emphasized the significance of local community engagement in order to enable disaster resilience. He highlighted the unprecedented Floods 2022 emphasizing the need for an efficient Early Warning System (EWS) in place to mitigate the adverse impacts of such disasters.
He stressed the crucial role of disaster preparedness in Pakistan, stating that managing two simultaneous disasters can be a daunting task and have severe consequences.
He apprised the Swiss delegation of the inclusive and people-centric disaster preparedness system, mentioning three National Simulation Exercises (SimExs) conducted by NDMA to enhance disaster preparedness in Pakistan.
The NDMA Chairman underlined the importance of reaching out to regional universities for knowledge sharing and capacity building. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis expressed his gratitude for MoU on disaster management cooperation between Switzerland and Pakistan.
He lauded NDMA’s achievements in the relief and rehabilitation of flood-hit people. He highlighted the similarity in topography and challenges faced by both countries and emphasized the importance of technological knowledge in dealing with complex disaster management.
The Swiss Minister lauded the development and achievements in disaster management in Pakistan and expressed his anticipation for future cooperation based on the MoU. The meeting concluded with an agreement to continue to work closely together to enhance disaster management capabilities and share best practices in the field. — DNA
 — Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis on Sunday met Chairman National Disaster Management Authority){kind=link}