The 3rd event this year was the workshop on Building capacities to respond to large open space fires – the model of organizing and functioning of the air force, renting and purchasing aircrafts. It was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Sector for Protection and Rescue and included 45 participants on site and 27 participants online.

The recently established DPPI SEE Working Group on Risk Assessments had its first online meeting on the 31 March 2023. The suggestion to have a permanent structure within DPPI SEE that will exchange on current activities, trends and challenges on risk assessment came up as an outcome of our workshop held in Belgrade last year. Acknowledging the importance of the risk assessments the 44.DPPI SEE Regional meeting approved the creation of the working group.

On 30.03 we had a pleasure to host representatives from IOM Bosnia and Herzegovina and Red Cross Society of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting was used to share updates on current and planned activities in all 3 organization. Potential areas of collaboration in 2023 are seen in the context of the upcoming field exercise DPPI FLEX 2023 that will be organized in October. As part of the scenario for the exercise, camp management and camp coordination is envisaged and we are counting on the support from both IOM and Red Cross Society in designing a meaningful scenario.

On the 29th of March, Head of Secretariat visited RACVIAC - Center for security cooperation in Croatia. The meeting was used to explore possibilities and put into practice the collaboration agreement that was signed between the two organization in 2010. Upon the presentation of RACVIAC, Head of Secretariat elaborated the organizational structure and the mandate of DPPI SEE and informed the colleagues in RACVIAC about the priorities for 2023. The meeting was concluded with the intention to join forces and try to organize at least one training event in 2024.

At the last 44.DPPI SEE Regional meeting held in Dubrovnik, Croatia member states have agreed to work together in organizing a simulation exercise within the DPPI SEE training program for 2023. This decision had two preconditions: 1. To identify the host country for the exercise and 2.To have a draft concept for the exercise itself. Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Sector for rescue and protection took the initiative and accepted the challenging task to host the first ever field simulation exercise organized in the framework of DPPI SEE.

The conference in Bucharest was the 1st event in DPPI SEE training program for 2023. Hosted by the Department for Emergency Situations of Republic of Romania, the event focused on the importance of risk information as foundation for effective disaster risk reduction. Trusted, accurate and widely used risk information saves lives, particularly when it reaches ‘the last mile’ and is put into practice to protect vulnerable communities, goods and systems.

The last event under Disaster Management Training Program for 2022 was held in Podgorica, Montenegro on the topic of civil protection training centers. The workshop was held in the newly established civil protection training center and this was the first international event held there.

The objective of the seminar was to share practical examples on business continuity planning and critical infrastructure protection in context of disaster management. During the days of the seminar member states had valuable exchange on industrial accidents prevention and discussed options for future collaboration. Each country contributed by making a presentation to the seminar attended by representatives of 9 DPPI member  countries, including Türkiye.

 In close collaboration with the Civil Protection Directorate of Republic of Croatia and the UNDRR office for Europe and Central Asia, DPPI SEE hosted the Round table on DRR financing and the workshop on the same topic. The Round table on DRR financing gathered around high officials from the member states as well as from UNDRR, UNDP, DG ECHO, World Bank, IFRC, Regional Cooperation Council and EuropaRE.

Upon the invitation of the Ministry for climate crisis and civil protection of the Hellenic Republic, Head of Secretariat participated at the EFDRR Action oriented dialogue in Athens (21 October 2022). The entire event was organized as a combination of working laboratories and a ministerial round table. During the working laboratories the topics of heat waves as major threats to our resilience was discussed in combination with the increased frequency of forest fires.