News

UNDAC team received the UN Heros Award in 2024

On 22 November, the 30 years of exceptional work by the INSARAG and UNDAC networks were celebrated during the UN Foundation’s We the Peoples Award Ceremony. Among the 2024 honourees were the Rt. Hon. Dame Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand; TIME, represented by Jessica Sibley

UNDAC China refresher participants looking up to the camera as a group

The UNDAC Refresher Course was successfully held in China from 23-26 September 2024. This valuable event was hosted by the Ministry of Emergency Management and organized by the National Earthquake Response Support Service at their training center in Beijing. A diverse group of 19 UNDAC members from

SADC ERT Induction participants in Botswana cheer in a group photo with their certificates

Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Emergency Response Team (ERT) is provided for within the SADC Disaster Preparedness and Response Strategy and Fund as a regional rapid response team deployable in major sudden and slow on-set disasters. The SADC ERT is a component of the SADC Humanitarian

Aerial image of distruction after Hurricane Beryl - July 2024

In the wake of early July 2024, Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados, it was classified as a category 4 hurricane. High winds toppled trees and power lines, tore entire roofs from houses and in some cases, blew buildings completely off their

New UNDAC Handbook announcement

We are delighted to share that we have just published Version 2 of the UNDAC Handbook online. This updated version features improved formatting and includes two new subchapters on biohazards (J.10) and hazard impact summaries (K). Moving forward, each version will have a version number, date, and

UNDAC logo for new website announcement

We are thrilled to introduce you to the new UNDAC website, your go-to resource hub for all things related to UNDAC and our network around emergency response coordination.

Explore the wealth of information on our website, including details on the UNDAC network, insights from the Advisory Board, and

HNPW banner image

The Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW) provides a unique forum for humanitarian networks and partnerships to meet and address key humanitarian issues. One of the largest humanitarian events of its kind, it gathers participants from the UN, NGOs, Member States, the private sector, the

South African USAR Team search for Survivors

(Since March 2023)

Türkiye-Syria Earthquake (February-March): UNDAC significantly contributed to the earthquake response efforts in Türkiye and Syria following the Turkish government’s request for international assistance on February 6. The initial deployment of 50 members in Türkiye increased to 61

Participants of the UNDAC Induction Course in Saly, Senegal

Since our March 2023, UNDAC actively engaged in various new training and briefing sessions aimed at enhancing disaster response and preparedness capabilities globally.

The year commenced with the Awareness Workshop in Panama on March 9-10, where 40 staff from the Americas region were educated on

Nurul Fatien from Malaysia (left) and James Mauai from Samoa (right)

A word from Haruka Ezaki, Regional Focal Point for Asia-Pacific.

Localization is happening in Asia-Pacific region. In 2023, UNDAC supported a number of regional and national initiatives on disaster response capacity development and interoperability.

It is worth noting that five new countries