Zurich, July 24, 2013 – Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) and Indonesian Red Cross Society (Palang Merah Indonesia, PMI), member of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), today signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of community-based flood disaster risk reduction.

This agreement, covering a five year commitment with a total budget of up to CHF 5 million, is an element of the strategic alliance between Zurich and IFRC within the framework of Zurich’s flood resilience program that aims to enhance flood resilience by finding innovative ways to increase the impact of community disaster risk reduction efforts on both a national and global level. In Indonesia, which is the second country in Zurich’s flood resilience program after Mexico, Zurich’s risk experts will be working together with PMI and other relevant institutions to find innovative ways to improve the flood risk prevention and mitigation.

Geoff Riddell, Zurich’s Chairman for Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, commented: “Our commitment to our communities is about using our talent, time and resources to have a meaningful impact on enhancing community resilience to the risks and challenges they face. We would like to thank Palang Merah Indonesia for this opportunity to work together for a better future for Indonesians.”

Flood disasters in Indonesia

Indonesia has experienced more than 60 flood disasters over the last 10 years, which makes it one of the most flood prone countries in South East Asia. Almost every province in Indonesia is exposed to flooding and in big cities like Jakarta, floods have become a major risk.

Besides its high tropical rain density, which can reach up to 3,000 mm per year, inadequate drainage systems, urban migration and lower water absorption areas due to housing and industrial expansion are cited as the major causes of urban flooding. Almost all big cities in Indonesia are located in low lying areas near to the coast, where the rivers come down from the mountainous center of the islands with vast quantities of flood water flowing straight into the cities. Therefore, every year more and more people are suffering due to flood events.

Scope of Collaboration

As agreed in the memorandum, this cooperation is specifically aimed at:

• Enhancing community flood resilience at scale;
• Enhancing effectiveness of disaster risk reduction solutions;
• Developing and promoting knowledge and expertise around floods;
• Influencing policy makers and donors on disaster risk reduction policies.

To fulfill this scope, initial activities, which include site visits, research and workshops that involve cross sectional expertise from related parties, will start immediately.