Vrnjačka Banja, 28 February 2023 – To
improve the policy framework for disaster resilience in the Republic of Serbia,
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), supported by the European Union
and in cooperation with the Ministry for Public Investment (MPI), is assisting
the development of a new Methodology for Disaster Loss and Damage Assessment –
the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA).
The aim of the new PDNA Methodology is
to enable more accurate and efficient damage assessment by providing new
templates, instructions, and interpretations of guidelines for damage
assessment in local self-governments to ease data collection in crises and
harmonise it with the DesInventar methodology (Disaster Information Management System).
Therefore, local government representatives are participating in this process
and providing their hands-on experience in the application of Disaster Loss and
Damage Assessments. These inputs from the local level are of utmost importance
for harmonising and optimising procedures, manuals and damage and loss
assessment forms, so that they can be applied in the adverse post- disaster conditions
by responsible actors at the local level within a tight timeframe.
When finalised, the PDNA Methodology
will take a sectoral approach to the assessment and distribution of damage and
loss and will be aligned with the existing national legal framework, establishing
a closer links between climate change processes and disasters, and be adapted
to the needs of damage assessment commissions at the local level.
Upon its adoption, UNDP, in collaboration with MPI, will include PDNA section in the training programme for local self-governments.
New Post-Disaster Needs Assessment Methodology for Serbia is being developed within the initiative ‘EU for Serbia Resilient to Disasters’ funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP.