Background

The 13^th Session of the UNESCO-IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning & Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS) held during 28 November – 1 December 2022 in Bali, Indonesia, decided to undertake the UNESCO-IOC 2024 Capacity Assessment of Tsunami Preparedness in the ICG/IOTWMS Member States.

Assessment Objectives

The objectives of the capacity assessment are to:

1. Review progress in the development of regional and national tsunami warning and mitigation systems since the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 and since the last IOTWMS Capacity Assessment of Tsunami Preparedness in 2018
2. Identify specific gaps and  prioritise capacity development requirements at both the regional and national levels in view of strengthening the end-to-end tsunami warning and mitigation system in the Indian Ocean, with recommendations to guide development of work plans of the ICG/IOTWMS and provide updates to regional forums, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperations (SAARC), and provide recommendations to potential donors on the capacity development needs of the IOTWMS.
3. Provide input to National Reports for the 14^th Session of the ICG/IOTWMS to be held in Indonesia during November 2024
4. Contribute to an IOTWMS status report at the 2^nd UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Global Symposium on Reflection and the Way Forward Two Decades after 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. 

Purpose of the Briefing

The UNESCO-IOC 2024 Capacity Assessment of Tsunami Preparedness in the ICG/IOTWMS Member States is being conducted through an online survey of each Member State. The designated Tsunami National Contacts (TNCs) will coordinate the survey completion by key stakeholders and submission for their Member State. The results of the surveys for each Member State will then be used to assess the capacity in tsunami preparedness nationally and across the Indian Ocean as a whole.

This briefing will provide an overview of the assessment and a guide for Member States to completing the online survey.

The Agenda is available here.

The briefing is being held online via MS Team. A the meeting link has been distributed to ICG/IOTWMS stakeholders via email.