National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), under the National Coordination Forum on Anticipatory Action, in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), Welthungerhilfe (WHH), Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), successfully concluded the 2nd National Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action at NDMA Headquarters, Islamabad today.
The two-day dialogue brought together around 200 participants from federal and provincial government institutions, UN agencies, humanitarian and development organizations, international financial institutions, academia, private sector, meteorological and climate experts, and community representatives to strengthen Pakistan’s national framework for anticipatory action and climate resilience.
During the concluding sessions, participants emphasized the urgent need to institutionalize anticipatory action within national and provincial disaster management systems to address the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-induced hazards including floods, heatwaves, droughts, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and disease outbreaks. The discussions highlighted that timely early warnings, coordinated preparedness measures, and forecast-based interventions are critical to reducing humanitarian impacts, protecting livelihoods, and safeguarding development gains.
Chairman NDMA, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, HI(M), while addressing the closing session, appreciated the active participation and valuable contributions of all stakeholders. He reiterated that anticipatory action is no longer an option but a necessity for Pakistan in the face of escalating climate risks. He emphasized the importance of strengthening coordination among institutions, enhancing data-driven decision making, improving last-mile connectivity for early warning dissemination, and ensuring community-centered preparedness mechanisms. He further reaffirmed NDMA’s commitment to promoting a proactive, integrated, and resilient disaster management approach across the country.
In his closing remarks, Deputy Country Director, World Food Programme Pakistan, Thomas Conan commended NDMA’s leadership in advancing anticipatory action as part of the national disaster management system. He reiterated that WFP remained committed to supporting NDMA, PDMA, and district authorities to strengthen early warning systems, pre-arranged financing, and risk communication so that action reaches communities before disasters strike.
Two-day National Dialogue on Anticipatory Actions featured five plenaries and two breakout sessions where participants reviewed lessons learned from previous anticipatory action initiatives and explored opportunities for scaling up anticipatory frameworks across multiple hazards. Key recommendations included coordinated actions to implement Anticaptory Actions, strengthening climate and risk information systems, harmonizing triggers for early action, integrating anticipatory action with social protection and disaster risk financing mechanisms, enhancing local capacities, and promoting sustainable financing through public investment and climate finance avenues.
The platform also stressed the importance of stronger collaboration between government institutions, humanitarian partners, scientific organizations, media, academia, and local communities to ensure effective implementation of anticipatory action at all levels. Participants underscored the need for inclusive approaches that prioritize vulnerable populations and strengthen community resilience against future disasters.
The dialogue concluded with a shared commitment to develop a coordinated national roadmap for anticipatory action under the National Coordination Forum on Anticipatory Action. Outcomes and recommendations from the platform will support future policies, programming, partnerships, and operational frameworks aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s preparedness and resilience against climate-related emergencies.
NDMA remains committed to advancing anticipatory action as a key pillar of disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Pakistan through enhanced coordination, innovation, and collective action.
