Effective disaster risk management starts from a shared understanding of risks and existing capacities. For PPRD East 4, this means building on knowledge and evidence already generated through EU-funded initiatives so that existing results can directly inform the next steps of cooperation with partner countries.
In Armenia, this coordination is built around the Country Risk Profile.
Developed under the Multi-Country Study (led by the Italian Civil Protection Department) it provides a common evidence base for the future PPRD East 4 programme activities. CIMA Research Foundation supports this connection in its dual role as Lead Partner of the PPRD East 4 Consortium and Task Coordinator for the Risk Assessment Component under the Multi-Country Study.
Strengthening risk knowledge is central to wider European and international disaster risk reduction efforts. It is at the core of the EU Disaster Resilience Goal “Anticipate” and underpins preparedness, early warning and response. It is also reflected in Pillar 1 of the Early Warnings for All initiative and Priority 1 of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
This coordination builds on a longer-standing EU engagement in strengthening disaster risk assessment capacities in Armenia. Under PPRD East 3, this included the development of National Disaster Risk Assessment Guidelines and related capacities development activities.tt. PPRD East 4 now continues this work in close cooperation with national partners.
As part of this process, a country visit is currently taking place di Armenia, bringing Armenian stakeholders and European experts together to discuss the draft Country Risk Profile findings. The exchange provides an opportunity to review and validate the preliminary findings against national knowledge, operational experience and priorities, strengthening the evidence base for subsequent PPRD East 4 and other cooperation activities in the country.
Building a shared understanding of risk
The Multi-Country Study provides a comprehensive assessment of disaster risk management capacity, covering current practices, gaps, progress and priorities across the different phases of the Disaster Risk Management cycle. The analysis focuses on five selected risks, and applies a common methodology combining desk research, stakeholder consultations and quantitative indicator-based analysis. Its findings are intended to support risk-informed programming and help identify priorities for future actions.
In Armenia, this work is brought together in the Country Risk Profile, providing a structured picture of the country's risk landscape and its disaster risk management capacities. Discussing the draft with national stakeholders is a key step in consolidating this evidence, allowing preliminary findings to be reviewed and validated based on institutional knowledge, operational experience, and national priorities.
The process helps ensure that the final profile reflects the national context and provides a relevant reference for subsequent capacity-development activities.
Turning evidence into action
For PPRD East 4, the Country Risk Profile provides a common evidence baseline future activities in Armenia. Its findings will inform the national Risk Assessment Report and the development of scenarios for national Civil Protection Exercises and local emergency management plans. This back-to-back approach creates a direct operational link between the two EU-funded initiatives: risk knowledge developed through the Multi-Country Study becomes an input for PPRD East 4, connecting assessment with capacity development and ensuring continuity across EU-funded action.
CIMA Research Foundation, involved in both initiatives, supports this connection between the scientific work developed under the Multi-Country Study and the capacity-development process of PPRD East 4.
In Armenia, this continuity creates a practical pathway from risk knowledge to action: evidence is developed, discussed with national stakeholders and carried forward into activities tailored to the country's priorities and risk context.
By building on existing results rather than duplicating them, the two initiatives make better use of knowledge generated through EU cooperation, while supporting national ownership and the long-term strengthening of disaster risk management capacities.
