Bangkok: Nepal has taken on the leadership role at the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC). At the board of trustees meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, Rajendra Singh, Chief of the National Disaster Management Authority of India, formally handed over the leadership to Dinesh Bhatta, Executive Director of Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
According to National News Agency Nepal, Singh previously served as chairperson of the Centre on behalf of India. The event was attended by representatives from several countries, including Nepal, India, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines. Bhatta, who will serve as chair for the 2025-2026 term, expressed his expectation for increased activism among board members to enhance governance, leadership, and institutional development.
Bhatta emphasized the significance of the ADPC in promoting initiatives to mitigate disaster and climate risks, which are crucial for achieving sustainable development goals in member nations and beyond. The sixth meeting of the ADPC board of trustees, chaired by Bhatta, underscored the commitment to lead regional programs focused on strengthening disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation capacity in Asia and the Pacific.
The ADPC, headquartered in Bangkok, operates as an autonomous international organization. For the upcoming term, Pakistan will serve as the co-chair of the Centre.