CA25171 – ODIN-AI: Ocean Disaster Intelligent Network using AI (ODIN-AI) – MC MEMBER AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Prof. Dr. Vladimir M. Cvetković, Full Professor of Disaster Risk Management at the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Security Studies, serves as a Management Committee Member representing the Republic of Serbia in COST Action CA25171 – ODIN-AI: Ocean Disaster Intelligent Network using AI. His nomination was officially accepted by the COST Association on 21 July 2026.

The ODIN-AI COST Action establishes a pan-European, transdisciplinary research and innovation network designed to accelerate the responsible integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into operational coastal oceanography, ocean-disaster forecasting, early warning and coastal disaster risk management. The Action was approved on 19 May 2026 under Memorandum of Understanding No. 085/26 and will run from 20 October 2026 to 19 October 2030.

The Action responds to major scientific and operational challenges created by the rapidly growing volume of oceanographic data, increasing processing requirements and the complex interactions among multiple hazards in near-shore environments. These challenges continue to limit the accuracy, speed and operational usefulness of forecasting and early warning systems for marine heatwaves, harmful algal blooms, storm surges, coastal flooding and other interconnected ocean and coastal hazards. Climate change is further increasing the frequency, intensity and societal consequences of extreme ocean-related events.

A central challenge addressed by ODIN-AI is the persistent gap between cutting-edge artificial intelligence research and its practical application in operational oceanography. Although advanced AI and machine-learning models are increasingly capable of processing large and complex datasets, their integration into real-time forecasting, early warning and emergency decision-support systems remains limited. ODIN-AI seeks to bridge this research-to-operation gap by connecting researchers, operational forecasting centres, civil protection and disaster-management institutions, technology specialists, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders across Europe.

The principal scientific objective of ODIN-AI is to develop physically consistent, interpretable and operationally reliable AI systems capable of improving the prediction and assessment of ocean and coastal disasters. Particular attention is devoted to explainable artificial intelligence, model transparency, interoperability, uncertainty communication and the translation of AI-generated outputs into actionable information for forecasters, emergency managers, civil protection authorities and decision-makers.

The Action will contribute to the development of scalable AI prototypes, interoperable frameworks for real-time operational systems and standardised research-to-operation protocols. These outputs are expected to facilitate the transfer of scientific advances into practical forecasting and early warning applications. Regional pilots and demonstrators will be used to test, evaluate and validate proposed methods in cooperation with relevant institutions and end users.

From a societal perspective, ODIN-AI aims to support earlier, more accurate and more reliable warnings, thereby strengthening anticipatory action and improving the preparedness of institutions and exposed communities. More effective warning systems can contribute to reducing human casualties, economic losses, infrastructure disruption and environmental damage caused by coastal and ocean-related disasters. The Action will also examine how institutional trust, public risk perception, warning communication and organisational preparedness influence the acceptance and use of AI-supported systems.

Ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence constitutes another central component of the Action. ODIN-AI will develop guidelines for responsible AI in operational oceanography, addressing transparency, explainability, accountability, data quality, uncertainty, institutional responsibility, human oversight and public trust. These guidelines are intended to support the safe and socially responsible introduction of AI technologies into operational forecasting and disaster-management systems.

The research coordination objectives of ODIN-AI include the development and evaluation of physically consistent and explainable AI models for multi-hazard prediction; the integration of heterogeneous oceanographic and environmental datasets; the establishment of interoperable operational frameworks; the development of standardised procedures for transferring research results into operational systems; and the validation of AI-supported solutions through regional pilots and demonstrators.

The capacity-building objectives include transdisciplinary training for young researchers, innovators and operational practitioners; equitable transfer of knowledge and technical skills; stronger participation and leadership of researchers from Inclusiveness Target Countries; support for early-career researchers; and closer cooperation among academia, operational centres, public authorities and policy institutions.

Training schools, workshops, webinars, short-term scientific missions, conferences, working-group meetings, pilot activities and joint publications will be used to strengthen the scientific and professional capacities of participating institutions. The Action will also promote open science, FAIR data practices, methodological harmonisation, interdisciplinary mobility and the development of sustainable international research partnerships.

The scientific and networking activities of COST Action CA25171 are organised through six complementary Working Groups:

Working Group 1 – Data Streams, FAIR Practices, and Observational Readiness for AI

WG1 addresses the availability, quality, integration and standardisation of observational data required for AI-supported operational oceanography. Its activities include FAIR data principles, data interoperability, metadata standards, quality control, observational readiness and access to suitable datasets for model development and validation.

Working Group 2 – Advanced AI Models for Ocean Disaster Prediction and Risk Assessment

WG2 focuses on the development of advanced artificial intelligence and machine-learning models for predicting marine and coastal hazards. It addresses physically informed AI, explainable AI, multi-hazard risk assessment, uncertainty analysis, vulnerability and resilience indicators, model benchmarking and the translation of model outputs into decision-relevant risk information.

Working Group 3 – Operational Integration, Real-Time Systems, and HPC/Edge Deployment

WG3 concentrates on the integration of AI solutions into operational environments. Its work covers real-time forecasting systems, high-performance computing, edge computing, scalable digital infrastructure, interoperability, model deployment, processing speed and the technical reliability of operational applications.

Working Group 4 – Societal Impact, Risk Communication, and Policy Uptake

WG4 examines the social, institutional and policy dimensions of AI-supported warning systems. Its activities include risk perception, trust in AI-generated warnings, crisis and warning communication, institutional coordination, public engagement, policy development, stakeholder acceptance and the practical adoption of research results.

Working Group 5 – Regional Pilots, Demonstrators, and Training for Disaster Response

WG5 develops regional pilot activities, demonstrators, scenarios, simulation exercises and training programmes. It connects scientific solutions with civil protection authorities, emergency-management organisations, operational practitioners, local communities and other stakeholders involved in disaster preparedness and response.

Working Group 6 – Ethics, Trust, and Responsible AI

WG6 addresses the ethical, legal, institutional and societal requirements for responsible artificial intelligence. Its work includes transparency, explainability, accountability, bias, data integrity, human oversight, communication of uncertainty, institutional trust and the formulation of practical guidelines for responsible AI in operational oceanography and disaster management.

As a Management Committee Member representing Serbia, Prof. Dr. Vladimir M. Cvetković participates in the strategic coordination, governance and implementation of COST Action CA25171. His role includes contributing to Management Committee decision-making, supporting the implementation of the Action’s scientific and capacity-building objectives, promoting cooperation among participating countries and facilitating the involvement of relevant researchers, institutions and practitioners from Serbia and the Western Balkans.

His scientific contribution is based on extensive expertise in disaster risk management, disaster preparedness, early warning systems, community resilience, vulnerability assessment, crisis management, civil protection, risk perception, risk communication, crisis communication, multi-hazard risk assessment, climate adaptation and critical infrastructure protection.

His planned contribution is particularly relevant to WG2, WG4, WG5 and WG6. Within these areas, he will contribute to the development of disaster-risk assessment methodologies, vulnerability and resilience indicators, research on public and institutional trust in AI-generated warnings, communication of uncertainty, institutional coordination, policy uptake, regional pilot activities, simulation exercises, professional training and ethical frameworks for AI-supported disaster management.

A particular priority will be to ensure that technically advanced AI outputs are transformed into clear, understandable and actionable information for decision-makers, civil protection authorities, emergency-management professionals and exposed communities. This includes examining not only whether an AI system can accurately predict a hazard, but also whether institutions and populations understand, trust and act upon the warnings it generates.

The contribution from Serbia will also focus on comparative analysis of national and regional early warning and disaster-management systems; surveys, interviews, focus groups and case studies involving citizens, practitioners and policymakers; development of composite indicators of vulnerability, resilience, preparedness and trust; scenario analysis; expert workshops; policy laboratories; simulation exercises; and evaluation of regional pilot solutions.

The University of Belgrade – Faculty of Security Studies serves as the home institution of the Serbian research team participating in ODIN-AI.

The team is led by Prof. Dr. Vladimir M. Cvetković, Full Professor of Disaster Risk Management and Serbia’s Management Committee representative.

The national research team also includes Prof. Dr. Ana Kovačević, Full Professor of Informatics and Cybersecurity at the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Security Studies. Her expertise encompasses generative artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, databases, information visualisation, data integrity, misinformation detection and cyber risks to critical infrastructure.

The complementary expertise of the Serbian team connects disaster risk management, early warning, community resilience and crisis communication with artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, data processing, information visualisation and critical infrastructure protection. This interdisciplinary combination supports the development, evaluation and responsible operational application of AI solutions in disaster forecasting, warning communication and emergency decision-making.

The Serbian team plans to contribute to joint scientific publications, comparative research, policy recommendations, open educational resources, European project proposals, regional pilots, professional workshops, webinars, training programmes and simulation exercises.

Expected outputs include at least two joint scientific publications, a comparative report or policy brief addressing the social and institutional dimensions of AI-supported early warning, participation in a regional pilot or demonstrator, organisation or co-organisation of a workshop or training activity in Serbia, mentoring of young researchers and preparation of at least one collaborative proposal for a European or international research call.

An important objective is to connect the ODIN-AI network with civil protection authorities, emergency-management institutions, researchers, universities, technology specialists and practitioners from Serbia and the Western Balkans. This regional engagement will facilitate knowledge transfer, improve institutional preparedness and increase participation in European research and innovation networks.

Through this participation, the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Security Studies and the Serbian research community will contribute to the development of a more resilient, intelligent, transparent and socially responsible European system for managing coastal and ocean-related disaster risks.

Action number: CA25171
Acronym: ODIN-AI
Full title: Ocean Disaster Intelligent Network using AI
Memorandum of Understanding: 085/26
Approval date: 19 May 2026
Duration: 20 October 2026–19 October 2030
Role: Management Committee Member representing Serbia
Serbian team institution: University of Belgrade – Faculty of Security Studies
Main Proposer: Dr Jian Su
Primary fields: operational oceanography, disaster forecasting, artificial intelligence, machine learning, early warning, multi-hazard risk assessment and responsible AI.

CA23126 - AlertHub: Warning Communication Knowledge Network (AlertHub) - MC MEMBER AND MANAGEMENT COMMITEE

The aim of this Action is to establish a European interdisciplinary network that will facilitate international collaboration and knowledge transfer among researchers and practitioners whose work involves warning communication and disaster management. The Action adopts a risk and crisis communication perspective to advance knowledge, promote collaboration, and contribute to reducing the risks and impacts that climate change–related disasters impose on the public. It seeks to improve the overall effectiveness of disaster response efforts and to foster cross-border cooperation among researchers and practitioners in this key area. To achieve this, the COST Action will (1) develop an open-access platform focused on warning systems, relevant legal and policy frameworks, and challenges in effective warning communication; (2) identify best practices and governance recommendations for effective warning communication; and (3) create new formats for knowledge exchange and networking among key actors in Europe. Its interdisciplinary approach and focus on warning communication distinguish the Action from previous initiatives, knowledge resources, and research projects. At the same time, given that climate change–related disasters are typically cross-border phenomena, it is crucial to exchange expertise and best practices internationally. In this way, the Action aims to create lasting impact in research and practice and to contribute to reducing the damage caused by increasingly challenging environmental conditions.

Members of the COST Action pursue the following research coordination objectives: (1) developing a shared understanding of challenges across the region by mapping climate change–related risks and disasters across Europe to identify differing situations and needs in member countries, and identifying patterns of climate-related risks and crises for at least the countries represented in the Action (currently 15 countries); (2) coordinating data collection and curation by conducting joint research to gather the necessary country-level data for the shared open-access platform, with working group meetings held twice per year to discuss collected information and upload it to the platform; (3) comparing warning systems in relation to exposure to climate change–related risks and crises through a comprehensive comparison of disaster management systems, related infrastructure and activities, and an analysis of relevant legal and policy frameworks based on the extensive knowledge platform to be developed, providing at least three best practices for each type of climate-related disaster addressed by the Action (e.g., floods, heatwaves, wildfires) to support more effective disaster management across contexts; (4) enabling international collaboration for an open-access platform for researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers by producing an in-depth analysis of warning systems and warning procedures used in consortium member countries (and potentially additional regions), recognizing that the required depth and detail depend on local expertise and that the platform’s value increases with each additional participating country, with the concrete goal of ensuring that the platform contains data from at least every member country of the current COST Action; (5) providing input to stakeholders by organizing conferences for key stakeholders such as disaster managers and policy-makers to engage them and present insights gained through cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange, while also showcasing a pan-European knowledge platform on warning systems and related infrastructure—these conferences will be held annually throughout the Action, ensuring consistent opportunities for information sharing and cooperation, and the results will also be presented to the academic community, particularly at annual meetings of the Crisis Communication Section of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) and the International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference; and (6) disseminating results to the wider public and stakeholders by producing both academic and non-academic publications to share insights from the collaboration with a focus on best practices, with at least one academic and two non-academic publications per year jointly prepared by members throughout the project, plus additional publications by individual members, alongside the use of media and social networks to reach broader audiences and raise awareness of the Action’s outcomes.

Members of the COST Action pursue the following capacity-building objectives: (1) fostering knowledge exchange and the development of a shared research agenda guided by four research questions (on key insights from the state of research in member countries, sociotechnical and communication challenges, best practices and knowledge transfer; see 1.1.2), aimed at creating and structuring knowledge on disaster warning as weather extremes become more frequent, with success assessed through evaluations of workshops with key stakeholders such as national civil contingencies agencies, targeting an average stakeholder rating of at least 4/5; (2) organizing interdisciplinary, solution-oriented collaboration by engaging researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds—including media and communication studies, political science, sociology, economics, earth and related environmental sciences, engineering, and technology—to ensure deep, multi-perspective knowledge on the complex issue of disaster management and effective warning communication, while noting that risk and crisis communication research (the background of most researchers in the proposed network) is inherently interdisciplinary and applied, as evidenced by key associations and initiatives such as the Crisis Communication Section of ECREA, the International Crisis and Risk Communication Association (ICRCA), and the Crisis Communication Think Tank (CCTT), with which many Action members are familiar or connected; however, these networks do not typically implement joint research and knowledge transfer projects, making a COST Action as described essential for sustainable progress and impact, with a concrete goal of developing a joint mission statement and methodological standards; (3) creating a transnational stakeholder hub by operating the research network and its activities as a critical center for gathering and exchanging knowledge and best practices on disaster management and warning communication, organizing networking resources and events (both in-person and hybrid) to maximize reach, and conducting further dissemination activities to deliver maximum value to stakeholders and create impact primarily within the community of practice, as well as the research community and the broader public—impact will be measured by coverage, preferably in specialized media for disaster management practitioners and risk communicators or alternatively in academic journals that also address non-academic audiences, with a goal of publishing at least two articles per member country per year during the Action; and (4) engaging specific target groups, noting that most researchers involved in the collaboration are women—an uncommon situation in disaster management—and that 12 early-career researchers are also part of the collaboration and will take on responsible roles within the COST Action; in terms of countries represented, the team includes several with relatively limited capacities in the Action’s area to date (e.g., Lithuania or Turkey), as well as more economically developed countries such as Germany that still have substantial room to improve their warning systems and procedures, and if the COST Action proposal is accepted, the Action will ensure the integration of at least three additional countries with limited capacities in this field so that more countries can benefit from the resources and activities offered by the collaboration.

Societies worldwide are faced with extreme weather events at an increasing scale, with climate change as a key driver of this development. Against this backdrop, the COST Action aims to establish a European interdisciplinary network to facilitate international collaboration and knowledge transfer among scholars and practitioners whose work involves warning communication and disaster management. The Action uses a risk and crisis communication lense to advance knowledge, promote cooperation, and contribute to reducing risks and harm posed to the public by climate change-related disasters. The Action seeks to enhance the overall effectiveness of disaster response efforts and promote cross-border cooperation among scholars and practitioners in this key field.

To achieve this, the COST Action will (1) develop an open-access knowledge platform focused on warning systems, relevant legal and political frameworks, challenges in effective warning communication, (2) identify best practices and governance recommendations for effective warning communication, and (3) create new formats for knowledge exchange and networking between key stakeholders in Europe.

The interdisciplinary approach and the focus on warning communication is what sets the Action apart from previous initiatives, knowledge resources and research projects. At the same time, as climate change-related disasters are typically cross-border phenomena, it is crucial to exchange expertise and best practices internationally. This way, the Action seeks to create lasting impact in research and practice and to contribute to reducing harm caused by increasingly challenging environmental conditions.

Danube river region Resillience Exchange network — DAREnet

DAnube river region Resilience Exchange network (DAREnet) was a multi-year coordination and support initiative designed to strengthen flood resilience and disaster risk management across the Danube River Basin by building a permanent, practitioner-driven collaboration network. The project’s core idea was that resilience in a large, interconnected river basin cannot be improved country by country in isolation: prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery depend on shared knowledge, interoperable approaches, and fast transfer of innovations from research and industry into day-to-day operational practice. DAREnet therefore focused on creating a structured environment where civil protection agencies, water and flood authorities, emergency services, policy makers, researchers, and solution providers could jointly identify real operational gaps, translate them into innovation needs, and co-produce implementable solutions and recommendations. In geographical terms, DAREnet worked across the Danube River region and the broader macro-regional framework of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. The network engaged actors from Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine, while also maintaining cooperation links with additional institutions and experts beyond the basin where relevant knowledge and technologies could be transferred into the region. This macro-regional coverage was essential because major flood events and cascading effects (infrastructure disruptions, cross-border evacuations, downstream impacts, shared river management challenges) typically cut across administrative and national boundaries. DAREnet used this cross-border reality as a practical foundation for collaboration, ensuring that solutions, standards, and lessons learned could be compared, adapted, and adopted across different governance, legal, and operational contexts.

A defining feature of DAREnet was its practitioner-led model. Instead of producing only academic outputs, the project built national and transnational “communities of practice” that continuously fed real-world needs into the network. The project operationalized this through national contact structures and focal points that connected domestic stakeholder communities (civil protection, flood management authorities, crisis management bodies, municipalities, utilities, research groups, and private sector innovators) with the transnational network. This approach ensured that each country’s priorities—such as early warning challenges, evacuation logistics, critical infrastructure protection, floodplain management, recovery financing, or cross-border coordination—were not just discussed, but systematically captured, compared, and translated into joint action agendas. What DAREnet did can be summarized as building three intertwined “products” for the region: (1) a functioning network that connects people and institutions; (2) a living knowledge base that curates and structures evidence, tools, and solutions; and (3) a set of innovation pathways that help move from “good ideas” to implementable initiatives. First, DAREnet established and expanded a broad collaboration platform through repeated national and transnational events, workshops, and thematic exchanges. These activities were not generic conferences; they were structured to capture operational challenges, compare approaches across countries, and support joint learning. Over time, national networks were strengthened in multiple countries—particularly in Central and Southeast Europe—by bringing together practitioners who often work in parallel systems (flood authorities, emergency management, meteorological services, local governments, infrastructure operators). The project also placed emphasis on continuity: maintaining interaction beyond one-off meetings, and enabling stakeholders to remain connected through recurring formats. Second, DAREnet developed and populated an open, structured knowledge environment focused on flood resilience and disaster management in the Danube region. This included collecting and organizing information on practical methods, technologies, and procedures; mapping “who does what” across countries; and creating shared terminology and understanding. A key challenge in cross-border cooperation is that the same concept may be defined differently across systems (e.g., warning thresholds, alert levels, incident command structures, or recovery categories). DAREnet addressed this by supporting harmonization through shared documentation, terminology work (including multilingual elements), and comparative descriptions of national and regional practices. This knowledge base was intended to remain useful after the project ended by being transferable into macro-regional structures and portals used by practitioners and decision makers.

Third—and most importantly—DAREnet translated knowledge exchange into a practical innovation pipeline. The project introduced a structured process to identify innovation needs and solutions, prioritize them, and guide their uptake. This was operationalized through (a) systematic collection of practitioner needs; (b) screening and assessment of available research results, technologies, and methods; (c) development of a regional RDI (Research–Development–Innovation) roadmap; and (d) creation of practitioner initiatives—concrete, practitioner-driven collaborative efforts aimed at piloting, adapting, or scaling solutions. In other words, DAREnet did not stop at “recommendations”; it created a portfolio approach where initiatives could be formed around shared problems (e.g., interoperable warning communication, flood response logistics, rapid damage assessment, decision support, resilient critical infrastructure, or recovery planning), and then supported through the network’s resources and connections. Another important output was the creation of structured formats for expert exchange. DAREnet implemented models in which practitioners and experts could spend time learning from each other across borders and institutions—transferring operational know-how, not only documents. Such exchanges are particularly valuable in disaster risk management because performance often depends on tacit knowledge: coordination routines, decision-making under time pressure, and communication practices that are difficult to capture in written guidance alone. By enabling targeted exchanges, the project helped spread successful approaches and reduce repeated learning costs across countries. DAREnet also worked to embed its results into macro-regional cooperation mechanisms so that the network and its outputs would not disappear when funding ended. This meant aligning with existing regional structures in the Danube area, ensuring that the roadmap logic, curated knowledge, and communities of practice could be continued within broader Danube environmental risk and disaster management cooperation frameworks. The project thus sought to leave behind durable capacity: a connected stakeholder ecosystem, a practical knowledge infrastructure, and a tested method for turning practitioner needs into coordinated innovation efforts. In practical terms, the project’s achievements can be described as: (1) establishing cross-border practitioner collaboration across the Danube region; (2) consolidating and structuring large amounts of operationally relevant knowledge into a usable platform; (3) producing and iterating a regional RDI roadmap that reflects priorities shared by practitioners; (4) launching and supporting practitioner initiatives as vehicles for real implementation and learning; (5) enabling expert exchanges and repeatable networking formats; and (6) strengthening national practitioner communities in multiple countries while connecting them to a transnational “backbone” for flood resilience cooperation. Overall, DAREnet’s added value was that it treated the Danube region as a single, interconnected resilience space. It combined institutional cooperation with hands-on, practitioner-driven innovation work, making it easier for countries to learn from each other, adopt proven solutions faster, and coordinate more effectively when disasters cross borders—especially floods and cascading crises linked to climate variability and change.

UNDP – EU for Civil Protection and Disaster Resilience Strengthening in the Republic of Serbia, appointed for the DRR Strategy Development DRM Consultant (expert)

UNDP – EU for Civil Protection and Disaster Resilience Strengthening in the Republic of Serbia, appointed for the DRR Strategy Development DRM Consultant (expert), 2022, Duty Station – Homebased. Purpose: to provide expertise in the disaster risk management area in the development of Ex-Ante Analysis for the new Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027 (the Strategy), and drafting of the Strategy. Objective: to support implementation of EU for Civil Protection and Disaster Resilience Strengthening in the Republic of Serbia Project. Scope of works: more specifically, under the direct supervision of UNDP Project Manager, collaboration with DRR Strategy Development Consultant, and close cooperation with Sector for Emergency Management of the MoI (SEM) and the Sector for International Cooperation, EU Affairs and Planning of the Ministry of Interior (SICEAP), and consultations with the members of the Special Working Group (SWG), he performed the following tasks divided in two phases: Phase I: Ex-Ante Analysis for the new Strategy and Phase II: Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027.

Project:Country Cooperation Framework (CCF)

Reporting to: UNDP Project Manager

Duty Station: Homebased

Contract Type: Individual Contract (IC) or Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) for applicants employed by any legal entity

Duration: April 2022 – October 2022

To provide expertise in the disaster risk management area in the development of Ex-Ante Analysis for the new Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027 (the Strategy), and drafting of the Strategy.

II Objective

To support implementation of EU for Civil Protection and Disaster Resilience Strengthening in the Republic of Serbia Project.

III Background Information

Disaster affect Serbia’s economic and environmental standing, diminish the country’s development potential, pose a risk to social stability, and jeopardize EU investments. The effectiveness of the disaster risk management system relies on the adequate human, physical, and financial capacities for planning, preparation, responding, and post-disaster recovery, as well as on proper vertical and horizontal coordination between all the relevant institutions.  

Global Crisis Severity Index with an average score of 3.5 places Serbia in the group of medium-risk and rather stable countries. Although the applied INFORM methodology assesses Serbian vulnerability as moderately low, it still recognizes institutional and governance shortcomings (scored with 5.2) and DRR (5.7) as having undermining impact on the overall coping capacity. The critical problem of the Serbian Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management System is the fragmentation of the institutional framework, procedures, and insufficient capacities at the central and local level for adequate prevention, preparation, and response to disaster risk needs of the communities and population.

The Law on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management pursuant to the Article 12 envisages the establishment of the Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management. The Strategy will establish policies and guidelines for the activities of public authorities and other subjects in the disaster risk reduction (DRR), and the development of normative and institutional framework for DRR. Besides EU strategies in the DRR area (EU Internal Security Strategy, EU strategy for supporting disaster risk reduction in developing countries etc.), EU Directives and other international commitments undertaken by the Republic of Serbia in the DRR area is also the Sendai Framework 2015-2030 defining the expected objectives and results, guiding principles, action priorities, stakeholders’ roles, and international cooperation and global partnership. The Law on Planning System regulates the planning system in the Republic of Serbia, the management of public policies and mid-term planning, type and content of planning documents which all institutions involved in the planning system propose, adopt and implement depending on their mandate, mutual harmonisation of planning document, the process of establishing and implementing public policies and the responsibilities for reporting on their implementation, as well as mandatory analysis of effects and performance evaluation of these regulations. The MoI has officially launched the process of development of the Strategy on 20 January 2022. To discuss all issue of relevance, apply multi-sectorial approach and adequately involve all relevant stakeholders in all phases of this process, the MoI has established Special Working Group (SWG) for the drafting the proposal of the Strategy, chaired by the Head of Sector for Emergency Management of the MoI (SEM) and the Head of Risk and Emergency Management Directorate (REMD) as SWG deputy chairman, with the participation of representatives of relevant units with the MoI (Sector for International Cooperation, EU Affairs and Planning of the Ministry of Interior, Intervention Units, Gendarmerie, and Secretariat of the MoI), the Public Policy Secretariat of the Republic of Serbia, Republic Water Directorate, Veterinary Directorate, Plant Protection Directorate and Forest Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry of Mining and Energy, Ministry of Education, Science and Technical Development, Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Ministry of Culture and Information, Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, Public Investment Management Office, Republic Hydrometeorological Institute, Serbian Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security Directorate, Geologic Survey of Serbia, Serbian Environmental Protection Agency, Seismological Survey of Serbia, as well as the representatives of  Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities and the Red Cross of Serbia.

The process of development and the content of each public policy document is defined by the Law on Planning System, and the Regulation on the Methodology of Public Policy Management, Policy and Regulatory Impact Assessment, and Content of Individual Public Policy Documents. The first step in the process of developing the Strategy is the development of the Ex-Ante Analysis, and next is drafting the Proposal of the Strategy with the Action Plan.

In March 2022, UNDP has engaged DRR Strategy Development Consultant tasked to develop Ex-Ante Analysis for the new Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027 (the Strategy), draft the Strategy and an accompanying Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy.

Description of responsibilities

UNDP is seeking a qualified consultant tasked to provide expertise in the disaster risk management area in the process of developing Ex-Ante Analysis for the new Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027 (the Strategy) and drafting the Strategy.

The Consultant shall, in cooperation with DRR Strategy Development Consultant, prepare the Ex-Ante Analysis and the Strategy in line with the Law on Planning System, and the Regulation on the Methodology of Public Policy Management, Policy and Regulatory Impact Assessment, and Content of Individual Public Policy Documents of the Public Policy Secretariat of the Republic of Serbia (the Methodology) and, with special attention given to gender mainstreaming in developing public policies.

Scope of works

More specifically, under the direct supervision of UNDP Project Manager, collaboration with DRR Strategy Development Consultant, and close cooperation with Sector for Emergency Management of the MoI (SEM) and the Sector for International Cooperation, EU Affairs and Planning of the Ministry of Interior (SICEAP), and consultations with the members of the Special Working Group (SWG),the Consultant shall perform the following tasks divided in two phases:

Phase I: Ex-Ante Analysis for the new Strategy

  1. Conduct initial document/data collection and desk review, including background analysis and stakeholder analysis;
  2. In collaboration with the Strategy Development Consultant conduct SWOT analysis:
    • Interpret the data obtained through questionaries for Ex-Ante Analysis for the SWG in the context of SWOT analysis;
    • Conduct a consultative process with representatives of the SWG to review and agree on the content of the SWOT analysis and
    • Conduct SWOT analysis in collaboration with the Strategy Development Consultant.
  3. Collaborate with the Strategy Development Consultant in developing Ex-Ante Analysis Paper which shall at least include:
    • Analysis of existing state and identify the change to be achieved by implementation of public policies measure, conditions for that change, and cause-and-effect relationships between these conditions;
    • Established general and specific objectives of public policy, with accompanying indicators to measure the achievement of results;
    • Identifying options (at least two feasible options, apart from the ‘status quo’) – potential measures or group of measures for achieving the objectives and resources for their implementation;
    • Analysis of the effects of options – analysis of financial, social, economic, environmental and managerial effects, mapping of effects, applied analytical tools, risk assessment and scenario analysis for each of the option;
    • Defined criteria, comparation process and selection of an optimal option or an optimal combination of considered options;
    • Defined type of the public policy document, that is, the regulations by which they will intervene;
    • Identified necessary resources for implementation and monitoring of the Strategy and established indicators at the level of measures.

Phase II: Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027

  1. Collaborate with the Strategy Development Consultant in developing the Draft Proposal of the Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027 which shall at least include:
    • Introduction (legal basis and reasons for drafting and passing the Strategy, and information on the institutions involved in its development);
    • Data on the public policy documents and legal framework of relevance to the Strategy and mutual links;
    • Description of the current situation (situation analysis) in the respective area of public policies, including ex-post analysis, with reference to available studies and analysis documenting the problem and the need for intervention;
    • Definition of desired changes (vision, i.e. desired situation and causal links, identification of desired change with its elements and causal relation, and identification of interested or impacted parties or individuals);
    • Definition of objectives – the overall objective and up to 5 specific objectives of the policy established by the Strategy or other relevant policy, strategic or planning document, and indicators at both level of objectives, with provided baseline and target values, and sources of verification.
    • Identification of measures and alternative measures for achieving the objectives, with identification and formulation of output indicators at the level of measure, as well as a brief overview of projects to implement these measures;
    • Conducting analysis of measures through assessing their effects on individuals and legal entities, analysing their social and economic effects and environmental impact, as well as managerial effects with special emphasis on gender equality and impact on micro, small and medium enterprises. This analysis shall be performed for each of the considered options, and the Consultant shall prepare a Report on the analysis of measures.
    • Identified mechanisms for the implementation of measures with information on the lead institution, assessment of needed financial and other material resources, information on the manner of funding sources and their provision, as well as deadlines for the implementation of measures;
    • Defined ways for assessing the achieved results and efficiency of the public policy document, including identification of key output indicators at the level of overall and specific objectives for measuring efficacy and efficiency of implementation of established public policies and sources of verification of these results;
    • Defined mechanism for reporting on results with clearly stated responsibility for notification on the Strategy implementation, reporting scope and deadlines;
    • Information on results of conducted consultation with clearly stated attitudes of consulted groups on the considered alternative measure, followed by justification on their adoption or refusal;
    • Assessment of financial resources needed for the realisation of each of the measure and identification of their funding sources;
    • Assessment of financial effects on the state budget in line with the Law on Budget System of the realisation of each of the measure, and if in the budget for the current year the what basis on which these funds are provided; and
    • Information on the regulations to be adopted or amended to implement the measures.
  1. Conduct a consultative process with representatives of the SWG, including scientific and professional institutions and individuals, international organisations (e.g. UNDP, UNDRR and OSCE) and donors, with the observer status in a form of an extended SWG to review and agree on the content of the Strategy. This process shall include preparation of material for the SWG, moderating the discussion, receiving and consolidating expressed comments and suggestions for improvement, and incorporating them in the respective document. The Consultant is obliged to send draft material to the members of the SWG at least two weeks before the meeting.
  2. Prepare Final Proposal of the Strategy in cooperation with the Special Task Group for the Public Debate. Participate in the Public debate on the subject documents and, on the basis of Public Debate Report, reflect accepted comments and suggestion for improvement in the Proposal of the Strategy.

IPA FF project – EU Support to Flood Prevention and Forest Fires Risk Management in the Western Balkans and Turkey

 The 3-year EU-funded IPA Floods and Fires program aims at improving capacities for flood and forest fire risk management in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey. The international consortium established by the Italian Civil Protection Department jointly with the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (URSZR), the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), the Romanian General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU), the Fire Rescue Brigade of Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic (FRB-MSR), the National Center for Disaster Management Foundation, Romania (CN APELL-RO) and CIMA Research Foundation, Italy (CIMA).

Officially launched in November 2020, the EU Support to Flood Prevention and Forest Fires Risk Management in the Western Balkans and Turkey (IPA FF) is a Program of the European Commission, Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). It aims at improving capacities for flood and forest fire risk management in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey with a 5 million euros budget and an action that unfolds for 36 months.Over the past few years, the Western Balkans and Turkey suffered from several natural disasters. In the next future, such events, also triggered by climate change, will likely become more frequent, unpredictable and significant in magnitude. Acknowledging these challenges, relevant authorities in the region are increasingly putting their efforts into improving capacities to prevent, reduce the impact of and respond to such events. IPA Floods and Fires, an EU – funded program, aims at improving capacities for flood and forest fire risk management in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.

With a 5 million euros budget and an action that unfolds for 36 months (2020-2023), it is based on a highly participatory and consultative approach, strong local ownership, sustainability measuresand a regional perspective combined with Partnerspecific capacity development approaches. By fostering regional cooperation and exchange of good practices, the IPA Floods and Fires implementing Consortium collaborates with the local authorities of civil protection and other local institutions and agencies involved in flood and forest fires risk management. Together they contribute to improving the legal and institutional framework related to the EU Floods Directive (EUFD), institutional coordination among all actors involved in the EUFD implementation, and strengthening prevention, preparedness, and capacity to respond to forest fires at local, regional and EU level.

The Program is structured into seven work packages, divided into two components:

1. Floods:

1.1: Capacity building for Flood Risk Management Planning according to the EUFD

1.2: Capacity building for common transboundary Flood Risk Management Planning

1.3: Support for the development of procedures to include flood early warnings into local and central emergency response plan

2. Forest fires:

2.1: Technical assistance for forest fires risk assessment and risk management capabilities for forest fires

2.2: Support for the development of Ground Forest Firefighting (GFFF) civil protection modules

2.3: Support for the establishment of Border Crossing and Host Nation Support (HNS) protocols in line with the EU Guidelines on HNS

2.4: Organization of table-top exercises and a regional field exercise for the established GFFF modules.

Contracting Authority: European Commission – Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO)

Duration: 3 years (2020-2023)

Budget: 5 million Euros

Consortium:

  • Civil Protection Department (DPC), lead, Italy
  • Fire Rescue Brigade of Moravian-Silesian Region (FRB-MSR), Czech Republic
  • CIMA Research Foundation (CIMA), Italy
  • Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (URSZR), Slovenia
  • Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), Sweden
  • General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU), Romania
  • National Center for Disaster Management Foundation (CN APELL-RO), Romania 

Enhancing Preparedness and Participation of Civil Society Organizations and Youth in Disaster Risk Reduction in Serbia

The project “Enhancing Preparedness and Participation of Civil Society Organizations and Youth in Disaster Risk Reduction in Serbia” (Serbian: “Povećanje spremnosti i učešća organizacija građanskog društva i mladih u smanjivanju rizika od katastrofa u Srbiji”) was implemented by the Fenomena Association within the SMART Balkans – Civil Society for a Connected Western Balkans programme (grant scheme / programme line: National Interventions), with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway. The project ran from 2023–2024, and one of its key events was a multi-day workshop/training held at Kopaonik (Harmonija Hotel), 15–19 July 2024. The project holder/coordinator was the Fenomena Association, while the Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management (SPS-DRM) served as a partner/support organization in the implementation. Role: lecturer/trainer and expert contributor — thematic lectures were delivered (including security in the event of terrorist/similar attacks and youth engagement in DRR) and practical exercises/simulations were supported, alongside cooperation in field-based project activities (e.g., research activities in the West Morava River basin).

National Public Health Emergency Preparedness Planning in Serbia

The engagement “National Public Health Emergency Preparedness Planning in Serbia – Expert Support to LSGs for developing Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans” is implemented within the EU-funded project “EU for healthcare in Serbia / EU for the Health System of Serbia” (UNDP Project ID 00136378), carried out by UNDP and WHO in partnership with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia (with the participation of the Institute of Public Health of Serbia “Dr Milan Jovanović Batut” and support from relevant national institutions). The project runs from February 2023 to February 2027 and is financed by the European Commission. Through a public call launched by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM/SKGO), you were selected as a disaster risk management expert to provide professional support to local self-government units in developing Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans, during the period May–November 2025, for approximately 100 cities and municipalities (10 regional groups). The aim is to strengthen local resilience and preparedness capacities by developing practical plans aligned with the WHO model and national legislation.

Institutional Support to the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) – Phase 3

  • Official title: Institutional Support to Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM/SKGO) – Phase 3

  • Donor: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) / Government of Switzerland

  • Implementer: Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities of Serbia (SCTM/SKGO)

  • Period:

    • SKGO project page: 1 Oct 2018 – 1 Oct 2022

    • Swiss (EDA/SDC) project page: 1 Oct 2018 – 31 Dec 2022 (often reflects administrative closure)

  • Swiss budget: CHF 3,600,000

  • Purpose (high level): SDC provides an institutional contribution to SCTM to lead policy dialogue/advocacy and represent local governments’ interests in national policy and law-making, while also supporting local governments to implement reforms and adopted laws.

  • Main objective (as stated): National policies and legislation become more responsive to local governments’ needs, improving local governments’ efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness to citizens.

  • Two core outcomes (Swiss project frame / review context):

    1. Local governments increasingly influence national policy-making and their interests are considered.

    2. Local governments strengthen capacity to implement public policies/legislation and key competences, resulting in more accountable and better managed local governments and more inclusive services.

  • Typical reform/support areas mentioned: HR development, organizational reforms, program budgeting, public property management, inter-municipal cooperation, public procurement, local public policy planning, education, housing, urban planning, etc.

Development and Improvement of the Communication Strategy of the Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management

The Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management lacks a communication strategy that would enhance the organization’s activities in improving the safety of people in disaster situations in the Republic of Serbia. The absence of such a strategic document prevents the organization from significantly influencing the awareness of citizens and decision-makers in the area of protection and rescue in disaster situations. Expanding on this issue, the absence of a well-defined communication strategy leads to a lack of coordinated efforts in raising public awareness, disseminating crucial information, and advocating for stronger policies. Without a clear communication roadmap, the organization misses opportunities to engage effectively with stakeholders, from local communities to national authorities, which limits its impact on both preventative measures and emergency responses.

3.2. What is the goal of the project?
The overall goal of the project is to improve the communication strategy of the Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management, which will strengthen the organization’s advocacy capacities in improving the safety of people during disaster situations in the Republic of Serbia. Given that the organization currently lacks a communication strategy, the project aims to define activities and engage a consultant who would help the organization enhance its advocacy position in processes related to defining and disseminating campaigns that improve the institutional and legal framework of the Republic of Serbia in the field of disaster management, while aligning with European Union regulations and standards.

By improving the organization’s communication standards, the following changes will be enabled: a stronger impact on raising public awareness and knowledge in the field of disaster situations; better connections between the organization, decision-makers, and citizens to influence reform processes in line with European standards and directives; improved external and internal communication, further strengthening the organization; enabling direct influence on the wider population, thereby accelerating reform processes in the field of disaster management, etc. In terms of specific project objectives, the following changes will be achieved to foster the organization’s development: improved communication among all organization members; enhanced communication between the organization and external entities significant for protection and rescue in disaster situations; strengthened communication with all international organizations relevant for knowledge and experience exchange, particularly in terms of aligning with EU scientific and institutional standards in disaster situations; a developed and reinforced advocacy position through national and international campaigns; a higher level of public awareness about the organization’s work and its influence on reform processes in the country.

3.3. How does the project contribute to the development of the organization and the initiation of new ideas?
The project will conduct the necessary analyses required for the creation of a communication strategy that will enable the achievement of the previously mentioned goals. Therefore, the result of the project will be a comprehensively written and adopted communication strategy that will allow the further development of external and internal communication with all relevant entities and forces in disaster protection and rescue.

To achieve the project’s goal of creating a communication strategy, the following activities will be carried out: content analysis to collect data beneficial for improving the organization’s communication; this analysis will help identify all relevant problems; analysis of the organization’s micro and macro environment; implementation of a SWOT analysis that will allow the organization to identify its strengths (e.g., what are our advantages in communication? What are we doing right? What communication resources do we have? Do we have a person/department that deals with these issues? What do others see as our strengths?) and weaknesses (e.g., what can we improve in communication? What are we doing wrong? What should we avoid?), as well as to examine potential threats/obstacles (e.g., what resources do we have? What media are we using? What are we doing wrong, and how can we improve? What threats surround us?); analysis of public opinion and their attitudes towards the organization and key issues; conducting quantitative research regarding the organization’s communication; public segmentation; designing campaigns for segmented audiences; planning the schedule of all planned activities and understanding how each activity is connected with other aspects of the strategy over time; defining the budget for improving communication with the public; developing tools for continuous monitoring of indicators related to the efficiency of the organization’s communication.

3.4. Achieved results
Through the project, the necessary analyses for the development of the communication strategy will be carried out, enabling the fulfillment of the aforementioned objectives. The project outcome will be a comprehensive and well-developed communication strategy that will facilitate the further development of external and internal communication with all relevant entities and disaster protection and rescue forces.

Sustainability of the project solutions related to organizational development and the initiation of new ideas
After the project’s completion, which pertains to the development of the organization’s communication strategy, the NSD-URVS will continue all activities throughout its future existence, considering that the goals set forth in its Statute align with the objectives of this project, which is to influence the improvement of disaster management in Serbia. This strategy will become a foundation for sustainable progress, enabling the organization to continually adapt and refine its communication practices in response to emerging challenges and opportunities in disaster risk management.

A Predictive Model of Community Disaster Resilience based on Social Identity Influences

The territory of Serbia is vulnerable to various types of natural and man-made disasters. The risk is not equal across the entire territory, depending on the type of hazard and the expected potential for damage. So far, the level of community disaster resilience has not been determined in Serbia. There are no scientific preconditions for its improvement to reduce the future material and intangible consequences of disasters. Regarding that, the project’s main objective is to develop and validate a predictive model of community disaster resilience based on social identity influences through an investigation impact of social identity indicators on the level of community disaster resilience in Serbia. The project is based on the upcoming research on whether the level of community disaster resilience can be predicted based on social identity indicators, how social identity indicators affect different dimensions of community disaster resilience, and how disasters shape social identity. The project is based on multimethod research in which quantitative (face-to-face interviews in 40 of the 191 municipalities), and qualitative (semi-structured interviews) research methodology will be applied. A developed predictive model with an index of community disaster resilience in Serbia will empower the creation of preconditions for designing public policies, strategies and procedures for improving resilience and reducing the consequences of disasters on people and their property and enhancing citizens’ security. The project will encourage the prediction of community disaster resilience based on social identity indicators, improving disaster foresight and preparing to limit disaster losses. Based on the development of analytical frameworks for understanding community disaster resilience and social identity in disasters, essential preconditions for designing innovative information systems will be created to enable local communities to increase their level of resilience.

Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy Development Disaster Risk Management Consultant - UNDP consultant (2022)

He provided expertise in the disaster risk management area in the development of Ex-Ante Analysis for the new Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027 (the Strategy), drafting of the Strategy and an accompanying Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy.

Phase I: Ex-Ante Analysis for the new Strategy
1. Conduct initial document/data collection and desk review, including background analysis and stakeholder analysis;
2. In collaboration with the Strategy Development Consultant conduct SWOT analysis:
– Interpret the data obtained through questionaries for Ex-Ante Analysis for the SWG in the context of SWOT analysis;
– Conduct a consultative process with representatives of the SWG to review and agree on the content of the SWOT analysis and
– Conduct SWOT analysis in collaboration with the Strategy Development Consultant.
3. Collaborate with the Strategy Development Consultant in developing Ex-Ante Analysis Paper which shall at least include:
– Analysis of existing state and identify the change to be achieved by implementation of public policies measure, conditions for that change, and cause-and-effect relationships between these conditions;
– Established general and specific objectives of public policy, with accompanying indicators to measure the achievement of results;
– Identifying options (at least two feasible options, apart from the ‘status quo’) – potential measures or group of measures for achieving the objectives and resources for their implementation;
– Analysis of the effects of options – analysis of financial, social, economic, environmental and managerial effects, mapping of effects, applied analytical tools, risk assessment and scenario analysis for each of the option;
– Defined criteria, comparation process and selection of an optimal option or an optimal combination of considered options;
– Defined type of the public policy document, that is, the regulations by which they will intervene;
– Identified necessary resources for implementation and monitoring of the Strategy and established indicators at the level of measures.

Phase II: Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027 and the Action Plan
1. Collaborate with the Strategy Development Consultant in developing the Draft Proposal of the Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027 which shall at least include:
– Introduction (legal basis and reasons for drafting and passing the Strategy, and information on the institutions involved in its development);
– Data on the public policy documents and legal framework of relevance to the Strategy and mutual links;
– Description of the current situation (situation analysis) in the respective area of public policies, including ex-post analysis, with reference to available studies and analysis documenting the problem and the need for intervention;
– Definition of desired changes (vision, i.e. desired situation and causal links, identification of desired change with its elements and causal relation, and identification of interested or impacted parties or individuals);
– Definition of objectives – the overall objective and up to 5 specific objectives of the policy established by the Strategy or other relevant policy, strategic or planning document, and indicators at both level of objectives, with provided baseline and target values, and sources of verification.
– Identification of measures and alternative measures for achieving the objectives, with identification and formulation of output indicators at the level of measure, as well as a brief overview of projects to implement these measures;
– Conducting analysis of measures through assessing their effects on individuals and legal entities, analysing their social and economic effects and environmental impact, as well as managerial effects with special emphasis on gender equality and impact on micro, small and medium enterprises. This analysis shall be performed for each of the considered options, and the Consultant shall prepare a Report on the analysis of measures.
– Identified mechanisms for the implementation of measures with information on the lead institution, assessment of needed financial and other material resources, information on the manner of funding sources and their provision, as well as deadlines for the implementation of measures;
– Defined ways for assessing the achieved results and efficiency of the public policy document, including identification of key output indicators at the level of overall and specific objectives for measuring efficacy and efficiency of implementation of established public policies and sources of verification of these results;
– Defined mechanism for reporting on results with clearly stated responsibility for notification on the Strategy implementation, reporting scope and deadlines;
– Information on results of conducted consultation with clearly stated attitudes of consulted groups on the considered alternative measure, followed by justification on their adoption or refusal;
– Assessment of financial resources needed for the realisation of each of the measure and identification of their funding sources;
– Assessment of financial effects on the state budget in line with the Law on Budget System of the realisation of each of the measure, and if in the budget for the current year the what basis on which these funds are provided; and
– Information on the regulations to be adopted or amended to implement the measures.
–
2. Collaborate with the Strategy Development Consultant in developing the Action Plan for the Implementation of Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management for the period 2022-2027 which shall at least include:
– Link to the Strategy, and the overall and specific objectives with accompanying indicators, baseline and targets, and sources of verification from the Strategy;
– Public Policy Measures from the Strategy, referred to a specific objective, with included type (regulatory, incentive, information-educative, organisational-managerial-institutional or secure goods or providing services by participants within the planning system), institutions and partners (if any) responsible for implementation, monitoring and control, assessment of financial resources and their funding sources (budgetary, programme and/or project, or marked conditional if funding is not certain), deadlines, outcome indicator, and sources of verification.
– Assessment of financial resources needed for the realisation of each of the measure and identification of their funding sources, programme activity or project in the programme budget, or donor project.
– Assessment of financial effects on the state budget in line with the Law on Budget System of realisation of each of the measure, and if in the budget for the current year the what basis on which these funds are provided.
– List of activities in referral to each of the specific measures with clearly noted deadlines for implementation, institution(s) and partners (if any) responsible for their implementation, whether it is critical for the realisation of the specific measure, and if activity is a part of the EU negotiations process the reference to a specific chapter(s).
– Information on the regulations to be adopted or amended to implement the measures, if applicable.

3. Conduct a consultative process with representatives of the SWG, including scientific and professional institutions and individuals, international organisations (e.g. UNDP, UNDRR and OSCE) and donors, with the observer status in a form of an extended SWG to review and agree on the content of the Strategy and the Action Plan. This process shall include preparation of material for the SWG, moderating the discussion, receiving and consolidating expressed comments and suggestions for improvement, and incorporating them in the respective document.
4. The Consultant is obliged to send draft material to the members of the SWG at least two weeks before the SWG meeting.
5. Prepare Final Proposal of the Strategy and the Action Plan in cooperation with the Special Task Group for the Public Debate. Participate in the Public debate on the subject documents and, on the basis of Public Debate Report, reflect accepted comments and suggestion for improvement in the Proposal of the Strategy and the Action Plan.

EU Support to Flood Prevention and Forest Fires Risk Management in the Western Balkans and Turkey

At the international call for applications (IPA FF Local Expert), announced by an international consortium, Assistant Professor Vladimir M. Cvetković, PhD, from the Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade, was selected as a local expert in the field of disaster risk management in Serbia and was officially engaged in an international project supported by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). Following the evaluation of his CV and an interview conducted with representatives of the consortium, the above-mentioned decision was made. The international consortium established by the Italian Civil Protection Department jointly with the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (URSZR), the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), the Romanian General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU), the Fire Rescue Brigade of Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic (FRB-MSR), the National Center for Disaster Management Foundation, Romania (CN APELL-RO) and CIMA Research Foundation, Italy (CIMA). Tthe 3-years “EU Support to Flood Prevention and Forest Fires Risk Management in the Western Balkans and Turkey. IPA FF” program under the grant agreement signed with the European Commission Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO).

The scope of IPA FF is to support Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey (the “Partners”) in further aligning with the EU legislation and adapting to EU practices in civil protection. In particular, the program provides Partners with support and technical assistance to improve the legal and institutional framework related to the EU Floods Directive (“EUFD”), and institutional coordination among all the actors involved in the EUFD implementation and to improve prevention, preparedness and capacity to respond to forest fires at central, regional and EU level. Within this context IPA FF objectives under different work-packages include:

a) to improve Partners’ capacity to develop Flood Risk management Plans and develop or strengthen early warning systems procedures for floods at local and central level;
b) to improve capacities for flood risk management at transboundary level;
c) to provide technical support for developing risk assessment and risk management capabilities for forest fires;
d) to establish, equip and train ground forest firefighting modules in line with the Union Civil Protection Mechanism provisions;
e) to develop border crossing protocols and Host Nation Support (“HNS”) protocols according to the EU Guidelines on Host Nation Support.

CIMA Research Foundation – International Centre on Environmental Monitoring (“CIMA”), an Italian non-profit foundation active in the fields of Civil Protection, Early Warning Systems, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change Adaptation, Marine Ecosystems and Biodiversity Conservation, is the partner within the IPA FF consortium responsible also for the centralized administrative and financial management of program resources.

Strengthening the integrated disaster risk management system in Serbia

The territory of Serbia is vulnerable to various types of natural hazards, and the risk is not uniform across the entire territory; it varies depending on the type of hazard and the expected damage potential. Seismic hazards, landslides, rockfalls, floods, flash floods, excessive erosion, droughts, and forest fires are some of the significant natural hazards in Serbia; these natural processes can directly and indirectly endanger the environment, the population, and material assets. The current state of disaster protection in Serbia is characterized by incomplete and inaccessible information about potential natural disaster risks and their consequences, as well as insufficient public participation. There is also a lack of capacity among local authorities, professional services, and consultants to adopt a modern approach to disaster risk management. The current situation is further marked by the absence of a unified database on the spatial distribution of certain natural disasters, i.e., the identification of potentially critical zones (floods, landslide registers, torrents, etc.). The overall state of the disaster protection system in Serbia is unsatisfactory, particularly regarding the spatial aspects of risk management. Despite the increasing number, frequency, and intensity of natural disasters, Serbia has not conducted a comprehensive scientific study to identify weaknesses and opportunities for improving the disaster risk management system. In this context, the main goal of the project is “Strengthening the Integrated Disaster Risk Management System in Serbia – DISARIMES.” The project results will strengthen the disaster risk management system through research, development, and the implementation of innovative solutions in the phases of preparedness (education and training of the local population, etc.), mitigation, response, recovery, and post-disaster phases. The scientific significance of the planned research lies in creating opportunities to improve theoretical and empirical knowledge in the scientific field of disaster risk management and its application in practice, recognizing that this is a relatively young scientific discipline in Serbia. The project’s findings will help decision-makers in Serbia understand the system’s shortcomings and offer innovative opportunities to improve its functioning in the face of increasingly frequent and severe disasters. By establishing a scientific and professional society in disaster risk management, sustainable and necessary conditions will be created for the transfer and enhancement of knowledge and experience crucial to improving the operational capacity of the Serbian protection and rescue system in case of a disaster. A key contribution of the research findings will be the creation of a sustainable knowledge base, supported by relevant information on innovative capabilities and solutions identified as necessary to significantly enhance social resilience. Additionally, the project will include educational activities for local populations in various communities. To achieve the set goals, DISARIMES will enable the clear identification and systematic categorization of objective shortcomings and barriers encountered by Serbia’s disaster risk management system across all phases—before, during, and after disasters—through numerous SWOT analyses and other multimethod studies, allowing for the identification and application of appropriate solutions. The project’s goals include: assessing and identifying the strengths (advantages), weaknesses (shortcomings), opportunities (innovation potential), and threats to Serbia’s disaster risk management system; developing and updating an RDI (research, development, innovation) roadmap—a database of innovative solutions and other relevant information for improving the disaster risk management system; fully developing the DISARIMES scientific-professional network, which includes a wide range of disaster risk management scientists and civil protection professionals and organizations; preparing the ground for innovations in disaster risk management policy; and educating and training the local population for proper response in emergencies.

The increasing risk of disasters, accompanied by growing vulnerability of people and their assets, directly imposes the need for a responsible society in Serbia to improve its resilience. It requires a serious re-examination of the needs and opportunities for improving the existing disaster risk management system. The territory of Serbia is sensitive to various types of disasters, and the risk is not uniform across the country; it varies depending on the type of hazard and expected damage potential. Seismic hazards, landslides, rockfalls, floods, flash floods, excessive erosion, droughts, and forest fires are some of the significant natural hazards in Serbia; these natural processes can directly and indirectly threaten the environment, the population, and material goods. The current state of protection against natural disasters in Serbia is characterized by the incompleteness and inaccessibility of information about potential natural disaster risks and the consequences they may cause, along with insufficient public participation. There is a lack of capacity in local authorities, professional services, and consultants to adopt a modern approach to disaster risk management. The current situation is further marked by the absence of a unified database on the spatial distribution of specific natural disasters, i.e., the determination of potentially critical zones (floods, landslide registers, torrents, etc.). The overall condition of the natural disaster protection system in Serbia is unsatisfactory, particularly regarding spatial aspects of risk management. Despite the steady increase in the number, frequency, and intensity of disasters, Serbia has not conducted a comprehensive scientific study to identify weaknesses and opportunities for improving the disaster risk management system. The weaknesses and limitations of formal legal regulations in disaster risk management, as well as the ineffective and untimely implementation and realization of legal solutions, urgently suggest the need for more serious scientific research projects to devise concrete and applicable proposals for changing existing legal regulations. Moreover, there is an increasing need to transform the system from a reactive approach to a proactive one, emphasizing and applying measures and activities to reduce disaster risk. Additionally, there is a lack of preventive measures to mitigate disaster consequences and insufficient public awareness of their significance. Practice shows the inability to overcome existing obstacles preventing disaster risk management system entities and forces from devising, developing, and implementing disaster risk reduction measures.

Based on the above, the main goal of the DISARIMES project is to support the development of an effective, improved, and sustainable disaster risk management system in Serbia, based on innovative measures and activities (educational, economic, social, normative, health, cultural, technological, political, institutional, etc.) aimed at improving community resilience to effectively, quickly, and systematically respond and recover from the consequences of various natural and man-made disasters. It will enable the strengthening of the disaster risk management system through research, development, and the implementation of innovative solutions in the phases of preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, and post-disaster phases. The project’s findings will assist decision-makers in Serbia in understanding the system’s deficiencies and provide innovative opportunities for improving its functioning in the face of increasingly frequent and severe disasters. By establishing a scientific and professional society in disaster risk management, sustainable and necessary conditions will be created for the transfer and enhancement of knowledge and experiences crucial to improving the operational capacity of the protection and rescue system of the Republic of Serbia in case of disasters. A key contribution of the research findings will be the creation of a sustainable knowledge base, supported by relevant information on innovative capabilities and solutions identified as necessary to significantly enhance social resilience. To achieve the set goals, DISARIMES will enable the clear identification and systematic categorization of objective deficiencies and barriers encountered by Serbia’s disaster risk management system in all phases before, during, and after disasters, through numerous SWOT analyses and other multimethod research (quantitative and qualitative) to determine and apply appropriate solutions (Figure 1).

In this regard, the specific goals are:

a) To define the natural conditions as fundamental factors for the occurrence of geohazards through the analysis of individual hazards and multi-hazard spatial databases containing compiled thematic maps and all resulting individual and multi-hazard maps, sensitive zone maps in various protected areas, monitoring maps of data and changes for the project period, and the quantification of monitored natural condition parameters and the development of potential models. This will involve using collected data for a complex analysis of natural conditions as fundamental factors for the occurrence of geohazards; compiling and processing existing documentation and data in analog and digital form; fieldwork (preliminary mapping of various natural conditions); mapping sensitivity to individual hazards; identifying protected natural resources, endangered habitats/biotopes/species, cultural and historical heritage; vulnerability assessment (mapping) of identified protected areas; creating individual and multi-hazard maps; defining and outlining the most endangered zones by overlapping identified protected areas and multi-hazard maps; detailed vulnerability assessment through various scenarios; redistribution of vulnerability levels based on the detailed vulnerability assessment mentioned above, which implies that the most endangered zones require intensified application of measures to protect values in the specified areas; analysis of existing planning documentation from the perspective of geohazard risks.
b) A developed and regularly updated Research, Development, and Innovation Roadmap (= RDI Roadmap), i.e., a database of innovative solutions and other relevant information for improving the disaster risk management system based on the results of multimethod research. It will enable all entities (state bodies, local government units, enterprises, citizens) and forces (police, fire-rescue units, emergency medical services, emergency management staff, legal entities) to reduce disaster risk (from citizens to state authorities) to more easily identify appropriate innovative capabilities and solutions necessary to raise the level of efficiency in disaster risk management. Furthermore, it will be regularly updated with new data results and analyses from multimethod (quantitative and qualitative) research and SWOT analysis, which will include the assessment and identification of strengths (advantages), weaknesses (shortcomings), opportunities (innovation potential), and threats to Serbia’s disaster risk management system. The roadmap aims to shape future research and innovation policies in disaster risk management in Serbia. It will involve the identification, assessment, and prioritization of potential research and social innovations in the field of disaster risk management and mapping important RDI-related needs and gaps.
c) To establish a dynamic scientific-practical community consisting of scientists, practitioners, and interested citizens in the field of disaster risk reduction, which will serve as a platform for knowledge and experience transfer, professional identification of shortcomings and obstacles, and innovative opportunities for improving the disaster risk management system. In addition, in its sustainable development, and after the project ends, it will provide a solid foundation for institutionalization

Development of institutional capacities, standards, and procedures to combat organized crime and terrorism in the context of international integration

As a researcher, he was engaged in a project (2012-2017) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, titled “Development of Institutional Capacities, Standards, and Procedures to Combat Organized Crime and Terrorism in the Context of International Integration” (project no. 179045). This project was carried out by the Criminalistic-Police Academy in Belgrade. The primary objective of the project was to develop comprehensive frameworks and innovative strategies for strengthening the institutional capacities of relevant authorities in combating organized crime and terrorism, particularly in light of Serbia’s ongoing international integration efforts. The research aimed to enhance inter-agency cooperation, improve legislative and procedural standards, and provide critical insights into how global security trends influence national crime and counter-terrorism efforts. Throughout the project, interdisciplinary approaches were emphasized, involving collaboration between experts from various fields such as law enforcement, policy-making, academia, and technology. The project played a pivotal role in aligning Serbia’s domestic security framework with international norms and best practices, contributing to the creation of a safer and more resilient society.

Management of the Police Organization in Preventing and Combating Security Threats in the Republic of Serbia."

As a researcher, he was engaged in a project (2015-2018) titled ‘Management of the Police Organization in Preventing and Combating Security Threats in the Republic of Serbia.’ The Criminalistic-Police Academy was the lead institution for this project. The project aimed to develop advanced strategies and frameworks for managing police organizations in effectively addressing and mitigating a wide range of security threats. It focused on optimizing organizational structures, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing the coordination between law enforcement agencies to ensure a comprehensive approach to national security. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, the project provided valuable insights into modern policing techniques, enabling the development of innovative solutions for crime prevention and security threat management within Serbia.

National Security of the Republic of Serbia and Security Integrations

As a researcher, he was engaged in a project (2014-2015) titled ‘National Security of the Republic of Serbia and Security Integrations,’ which was conducted based on the decision of the Teaching-Scientific Council of the Academy (No. 18, 662/1) dated November 29, 2011. The project was approved by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia by official document No. 01, 2080/2011-2, dated February 28, 2011. The project aimed to analyze and enhance Serbia’s national security framework in the context of its integration into international security systems, focusing on improving the coordination between national security institutions and aligning domestic policies with global security standards. It explored key issues related to the country’s defense mechanisms and strategic security integrations, with an emphasis on ensuring long-term stability and resilience.

The Security of Students in School Facilities

He actively participated in the implementation of the seminar ‘The Security of Students in School Facilities,’ a program designed to address and improve safety measures within educational institutions. This seminar was included in the official Catalog of Professional Development Programs for Teachers, Educators, and Professional Associates for the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 school years, as well as for the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 school years. The seminar aimed to equip educational staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to create a secure environment for students, focusing on threat prevention, crisis management, and the enhancement of security protocols in school settings. By participating in this program, he contributed to the development of safety awareness among educators and the implementation of effective safety strategies in schools.

Science opportunities saving population

He participated in the preparation of an international project as the coordinator for Serbia under the Horizon 2020 Call: H2020-DRS-2015, Topic: DRS-10-2015, Type of action: CSA. The proposal number was 700501, with the acronym SOSP (Science Opportunities Saving Population). This project aimed to explore innovative scientific solutions for population safety in the face of disasters, focusing on improving resilience and response strategies. As the national coordinator for Serbia, he played a key role in coordinating efforts, ensuring the alignment of national priorities with the broader goals of the project, and facilitating collaboration between international partners in the areas of disaster risk reduction and population protection

Back to top