The European Union-South Asia Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Management Program : Results and Achievements - Building Resilience : Stories of Regional Integration for DRM in South Asia Empowering Countries and Communities, Enhancing Preparedness (English)

South Asia, a region of immense cultural and geographical diversity and economic vitality, is also confronted with significant disaster risk management (DRM) challenges. Launched in 2015, the European Union-South Asia Capacity Building for DRM Program (EU-SAR DRM Program) supported countries and institutions to improve preparedness, contingency planning, and service delivery to mitigate the impacts of disasters. By enhancing the capacity of organizations operating at national, sub-national, and regional levels tasked with disaster preparedness, response, and early warning, the Program actively supported the implementation of the South Asia Regional Integration Strategy. This strategic framework underscores the critical importance of enhancing hydro-meteorological services, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience as pivotal components to facilitate regional integration. The Program effectively implemented 16 grants, each contributing significantly to the overarching goal of enhancing resilience in the region. The achievements stemming from these grants are numerous and diverse, reflecting the multifaceted nature of DRM. This booklet offers a selection of activities to showcase the program's breadth and impact. From regional knowledge sharing and institutional capacity building in hydromet and climate services to national applications of landslide risk screening using remote sensing, these actions highlight the significant progress made in strengthening the resilience of South Asian nations and communities to weather- and climate-related disasters and underscore the impact of collaborative efforts in DRM.