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The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation joined government officials, academics, and international organisations at the Joint Regional Workshop on Enhancing Seismic Risk Assessment Capacities in ECO Member States, held on 22-23 September 2025 in Istanbul.

The workshop was convened by the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Secretariat in collaboration with the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of Türkiye (AFAD) and the Asian and Pacific Center for the Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM), one of the GEM Foundation’s associate partners. It formed part of the implementation of the ECO Regional Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (ECORFDRR).

The two-day event gathered participants from 22 countries, along with representatives from UNDRR, the Asian Development Bank, and other partners. Discussions focused on enhancing technical capacity in seismic risk assessment, integrating socioeconomic vulnerability into models, and strengthening cooperation on data sharing and risk information systems.

GEM’s Role

Representing GEM, Seismic Risk Modelling Lead Anirudh Rao presented during Session 2 on Seismic Risk Assessment Methodologies. The session provided an overview of the components of innovative seismic risk assessments, focusing on probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), the development and application of vulnerability and fragility functions, the collection and analysis of exposure data, and the integration of socioeconomic dimensions of risk.

By sharing GEM’s global experience, he demonstrated how harmonised approaches and open-source tools such as the OpenQuake Engine can be adapted to support national and regional initiatives.

Outcomes and Next Steps

The workshop highlighted key challenges faced by ECO Member States, including the lack of standardised data, limited financial resources, and the need for regional collaboration. Recommendations included greater interoperability of risk data platforms, investment in capacity building, and stronger integration of social vulnerability and economic impacts into seismic risk models.

For GEM, participation reinforced its commitment to open science and international cooperation. By engaging with regional partners, the Foundation continues to support efforts that bring together scientific advances and policy action in disaster risk reduction.

For more details, visit the ECO Secretariat event summary.

https://eco.int/eco-afad-and-apdim-organize-joint-regional-workshop-on-enhancing-seismic-risk-assessment-capacities-in-eco-member-states/