Regional co-operation crucial in reducing disaster risk, conclude participants at OSCE-supported discussion in Montenegro

BUDVA, Montenegro, 10 December 2015 – A three-day regional disaster risk reduction training course, organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, hosted by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, was completed today in Budva.

Some 34 participants, representing civil defence, protection and rescue and spatial planning departments as well as representatives from six Aarhus Centres from Albania and Montenegro took part in a discussion gaining knowledge and exchanging experience on disaster risk reduction.

"The training course enabled us to synthesize our knowledge and exchange experience with our counterparts from Montenegro on disaster risk reduction issues," said Arben Gjuraj, Senior Governance Adviser for Civil Emergency at Shkodra Municipality.

Shift Commander of Podgorica Protection and Rescue Service, Predrag Anđušić, said: "Recommendations heard during the last few days will be useful in our future work.”

Aleksandar Perović from Aarhus Center Nikšić noted that understanding the disaster risk reduction concepts and legislative framework will help relay this information to the local communities. “The participation of many different institutions from both countries contributed to transboundary exchange of information and co-operation, which is prerequisite to achieve progress in this field.”

The Co-ordinator of Aarhus Centre in Shkodra, Alminda Mema, said: “The training course fostered co-operation among different stakeholders for managing disaster risks in Shkodra region."

The participants of the training also benefitted from a field visit to Rijeka Crnojevića, a flood prone area in the vicinity of the Skadar Lake shared by Albania and Montenegro. Organized with the support of the National Directorate for Emergency Services of Montenegro, the field visit helped in practicing risk evaluation and exchanging experiences.

This training was organized within the framework of the OSCE Project “Disaster Risk Reduction and Security in the OSCE Area” supported by the Governments of Switzerland and Austria.