Background

Asia has been the world’s most disaster prone region, having suffered about half of the world’s major disasters over the past five decades.  Many of the developing countries in Asia Pacific are situated in the world’s hazard belts and are subject to floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes, windstorms, tidal waves and land slides etc. In the last 15 years alone natural disasters in the region have clamed more than 500,000 lives and affected close to one billion people.  The economic loss is estimated at 200 billion dollars. 

While there have been significant gains and contributions of governments, NGO’s, and international organizations in addressing persistent problem of disasters, issues such as rapid population growth is accelerating vulnerability to disasters as settlements encroach disaster-prone lands.

Incidents such as the Tsunami in 2004 have highlighted the need to improve the technical infrastructure and cooperation between the private and public sectors to harness the skills needed to cope with minimizing disaster risk and emergency response.

In reaction to these concerns and issues, IIR Middle East in partnership with IMPACT, are proud to announce RESPONSE ASIA.