After five years of official scientific collaboration, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) is set to strengthen its partnership with the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Asia and Africa (RIMES).
Addressing the opening session of 6th Council Meeting of RIMES on May 29, 2014, Asian Institute of Technology President Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai reiterated AIT’s commitment to support the international and intergovernmental institution within the framework of the AIT-RIMES memorandum of understanding signed in 2010.
Under the partnership, AIT and RIMES cooperate in climate and tsunami research, as well as the application of science-based information in early warning of natural hazards, such as earthquakes and risk assessments.
AIT continues its support for RIMES and its Member States and collaborating countries in research and capacity building, the AIT president said. He called for the further development of the RIMES Regional Early Warning Centre, which is the institution’s technical and operational arm situated at the AIT campus in Thailand.
“This partnership shall be broadened and deepened, with collaboration(s) on water-related hazards research, and in expanding the RIMES-AIT Graduate Fellowship to geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing, in response to RIMES members states’ capacity building needs,” President Worsak said.
The two-day RIMES meeting at AIT welcomed international delegates representing 31 Member States and collaborating countries from Asia and Africa, as well as senior representatives of international organizations UN-ESCAP, UNDP, UNESCO/IOC and WMO.
Prof. Worsak highlighted AIT’s direct role in RIMES’ inception in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and its institutional evolution from 2006 to 2009. He added that AIT intends to contribute to RIMES Member States on disaster preparedness and mitigation.
RIMES Council Chairmen Dr. Shailesh Nayak, who is also Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, addressed the meeting via Skype from Delhi. He complimented AIT for hosting the RIMES Program Unit. The chairman appreciated the research conducted by AIT and its support for RIMES’ operational programs.
Ali Shareef, Deputy Director General, added that AIT has contributed significantly to RIMES’ institutional development, saying that joint collaboration on earthquake and tsunami research is very solid. He indicated that RIMES was very open to new areas of collaboration.
RIMES is owned and managed by its Member States for the generation and application of early warning information related to natural hazards such as tsunami, severe weather and water-related hazards.
According to its website, RIMES works to bring the best science available to at-risk communities in 31 Members States and collaborating countries across Asia and Africa. It assists countries in enhancing capacities in the observation and monitoring of seismic, tsunami, oceanic, meteorological hydrological and climate phenomena.
The RIMES Council is its highest governing body, and is composed of heads of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and national scientific and technical agencies that generate multi-hazard early warning information. It is empowered to make policy decisions on behalf of governments concerning the regional early warning arrangement, for enhanced preparedness for, response to, and mitigation of natural hazards. Presently, India chairs the Council.