The fifth Regional Technical Working Group- Private Sector Engagement (RTWG-PSE) took place on 23 February 2021. The purpose of the meeting was to provide updates on current activities and an overview of the proposed activities in 2021, to share the plan for private sector engagement in disaster risk management (DRM) at the country level, and to discuss case study documentation on private sector engagement in addressing disaster risks.
Ms. Mio Kato, Facility Manager of iPrepare Business, welcomed everyone to the event and handed the platform over to the chair of the meeting, Mr. Malik Sohail Hussain, Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Pakistan. Mr. Hussain highlighted that the purpose of the meeting was to share the experiences of the private sector in addresses various risks including COVID-19. He called on Mr. Sisira Madurapperuma, Director of the Preparedness for Response and Recovery Department, ADPC, for the opening remarks. Mr. Madurapperuma emphasized the sense of ownership among the members to enhance private sector engagement and call upon them to represent the sector on various regional and global platforms.
Ms. Mio Kato (top), Mr. Sisira Madurapperuma (bottom left), Mr. Te SeurPhann of Federation of Associations for SMEs of Cambodia (bottom center), and Ms. Susana G. Juanco of the Office of Civil Defense in the Philippines (bottom right) spoke at the meeting.
The remarks were followed by updates and overviews of the working group’s activities in the coming year by Ms. Kato. These initiatives include the objectives for the upcoming quarterly meeting, the development of case studies, the development of an e-learning module on business continuity planning (BCP), and participation in online training on selected topics as part of a capacity-building opportunity. Ms. Kato concluded by highlighting the need to share updates, knowledge products, and utilizing the online platforms to share knowledge and experiences.
The RTWG country representative presented updates at the national level. They detailed the key plans and activities related to the private sector under APP, the initiatives to promote the engagement of business in DRM, and possible plans to disseminate information or engage the other members of the working group. The final session was an overview of how case study documentation could be streamlined. The session concluded with Ms. Kato for the next steps and the announcement for the proposed next quarterly meeting.
