VIENTIANE - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Lao PDR, supported by the US government, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare Monday to officially commence a project to strengthen the capacity of Lao government officials to be able to manage humanitarian emergencies.

The project will focus on developing a National Disaster Management Training Framework for government officials working in relevant sectors. The project will work not only at central level, but will train officials in all provinces in the complete disaster management cycle from prevention to recovery.

With support from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the project intends to create an online database that will include all current, previous and future disaster trainings. This will make trainings more accessible for government officials from the district to central level in various ministries.

The project also plans to train officials from relevant ministries in a baseline disaster management course in order to ensure comprehensive understanding.

This will be IOM’s first disaster project in Lao PDR as the organization looks to establish a larger role reducing and responding to emergencies. IOM has also recently taken on a stronger role in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee by co-leading the Shelter Cluster in Lao PDR.

Lao PDR is prone to several hazards including floods, landslides, drought and epidemics. In 2011, Typhoon Haima affected over 429,000 people, caused 173.8 million US dollars in damages and severely disrupted livelihoods. The largest problem in Lao PDR, however, is not caused from large scale disasters, but rather localized, recurrent floods and drought. These small-scale emergencies destroy rice paddies and other crops, kill livestock and cause food insecurity. Subsistence farmers are ultimately left without a social safety net and lack resilience when their crops are damaged or destroyed on an annual basis. Because of this, training is needed for communities and government officials not only on preparedness, but also strategies to reduce disaster risk and mitigate impact.

“IOM is aware of the way recurrent hazards like flood and drought impede development in Lao PDR,” stated Project Manager Rebecca Zorn. “Regionally, we recognize that disasters will contribute to greater displacement of vulnerable populations. We think this project will be beneficial to the country because it will continue to support disaster management trainings that have already taken place and increase country knowledge on the issue.”

Besides working in disaster risk management, IOM has been proactive in the areas of safe migration, combatting human trafficking and smuggling, skills development and migrant health.

For further information please contact IOM Lao PDR: Douglas Foskett, Tel. +85621267730, Email: dfoskett@iom.int or Rebecca Zorn, Tel: +85621267731, Email: rzorn@iom.int