New Delhi. 04 February 2019. The Ministry of Home Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is organising a meeting of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Cluster Group on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) on 5-6 February 2019 in New Delhi.

Indian Ocean Rim Association is an inter-governmental organisation and has many disaster-prone countries among its 22 members and nine dialogue partners. DRM is one of its priority areas and its Action Plan (2017-2021) has specific goals to improve resilience in IORA countries.

The two-day meeting will feature interactive sessions and will focus on development of a draft Work Plan for DRM in IORA. It will also deliberate on the need for establishing a DRM Core Group to take forward the agreed objectives under the Work Plan.

It would strengthen cooperation in disaster response interventions, including deployment of response teams and mobilization of relief material to affected countries. Deliberations at the meeting would also aid information exchange, establishment of disaster database(s) and sharing of best practices.