Myanmar Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction

The Action Plan, developed by the Relief and Resettlement Department within the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, describes the institutional framework for disaster preparedness in Myanmar and details the regional and global commitments made by Myanmar such as the 2005 Hyogo Framework for Action and the ratification of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response. The overall goal of the action plan is to 'make Myanmar safer and more resilient against natural hazards, thus protecting lives, livelihood and developmental gains' and it lists numerous projects to achieve this goal such as multi-hazard early warning systems and public awareness, education and training.


The action plan notes that climate change is likely to increase the incidence of floods and droughts (in both the coastal and dry zones of the country), as well as the intensity of windstorms in Myanmar, and that disaster risk planning must therefore take these factors into account. The action plan also specifically identifies linkages with climate change adaptation as important in the development of a Forest Fire and Haze Monitoring System.