The ECO Technical Expert Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Was Held from 04-07 March 2025 in Erzurum, the Tourism Capital of Turkey, Hosted by the Turkey Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD)

The ECO Technical Expert Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Was Held from 04-07 March 2025 in Erzurum, the Tourism Capital of Turkey, Hosted by the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD)

Since the Geological Survey of Iran acts in the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Disaster Risk Reduction Committee as the Iranian focal point represented by Dr. Reza Shahbazi, director general of the geological, environmental and Engineering hazards assessment office of GSI، he attended the ECO Technical Expert Group Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) held from ۰۴-۰۷ March ۲۰۲۵ in Erzurum as Iran's representative.

In addition to Iran, representatives from ECO member countries including the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Republic of Northern Cyprus also participated in this meeting. The meeting was chaired by the Director of the ECO Human Resources and Sustainable Development Committee, Dr. Hasanu Teknin. The aim of this meeting was to increase cooperation between member countries to develop effective strategies for disaster risk management, as well as to focus on reviewing the status of the regional DRR roadmap and collecting feedback from ECO member countries. The meeting also discussed the need to establish ECO funds for DRR in order to strengthen regional cooperation and technological innovations. The Iranian representative also presented the vision of «Sharing findings, knowledge, and experience to reduce the risk of natural hazards and reduce the risk of economic investment», under which the program for updating the cooperation framework in the period ۲۰۲۵-۲۰۳۰ is defined, and a slogan with the same theme was proposed by the Iranian representative, which was welcomed by everyone. The slogan for the next ۵ years is "Sharing findings to reduce the risk of natural disasters and reduce the risk of investment.

The following mega projects were also proposed by Iran at this meeting, which were welcomed by the member states and are now awaiting the official approval by the member states:

Integrated Risk Zoning of ECO Member States

Investment Risk Zoning of ECO Member States

Application of modern technologies in risk reduction with emphasis on artificial intelligence

Formation of a joint fund and joint insurance for ECO accidents

Finally, the ECO winter maneuver was held in this city with the aim of ensuring awareness, preparedness, cooperation and field experience in winter conditions as well.