UN-HABITAT in collaboration with NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) arranged a two-day conference to draw national and international attention on the post-disaster recovery process based on the lessons learnt from the natural calamities that have affected the country since 2005. The National Conference on Learning from Disasters 2012 concluded on Thursday. It was focused specifically on housing reconstruction and rehabilitation. UN-HABITAT Country Programme Manager Siamak Moghaddam highlighted some of the UN’s projects that have been initiated in collaboration with government institutions, like NDMA and donor countries, including Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, Korea and other independent organisations.
NDMA Chairman Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadir said: “NDMA and UN-HABITAT are working on hazard resistant construction and developing safety mechanisms.” He added that the two organisations have conducted a series of consultative workshops throughout the country and have identified their needs. Senate Deputy Chairman Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali, representatives from the Planning Commission and Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, environmental economics experts, media representatives and experts from universities and engineering institutes attended the conference.
