ISG 2026 INSARAG Steering Group (ISG) Meeting

The INSARAG Secretariat is pleased to announce that the 2026 INSARAG Steering Group (ISG) Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland. The ISG will be held in hybrid format. Please save-the-date!

The ISG will take place during the 2026 Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks (HNPW) which will run from 2–12 March 2026. The in-person days of the HNPW are scheduled for 3 days from 10 to 12 March at the Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG) in Geneva. More information on the HNPW 2026 is available on the HNPW Website here. We invite you to consult the HNPW programme and take the opportunity to network and attend other events. Please note that the UNDAC Advisory Board will be held on the 12th March.

Kindly note that travel arrangements, hotel bookings, and other travel-related expenses are the responsibility of your respective organizations. Additional information on the INSARAG Steering Group Meeting will be provided ahead of time. If you need an invitation letter for visa purposes, please contact the Secretariat at least one month before the event.

Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the INSARAG Secretariat.

INSARAG Global Simulation Exercise (2026) – Qatar 

Dear Regional Chairs,

As you might know, the State of Qatar, as an important member of the INSARAG network and lead of the INSARAG Arabic Speaking Group, is generously proposing to organize two events: an INSARAG Global Simulation Exercise (2026) and a High-Level conference (2025). Given the full INSARAG agenda for both 2025 and 2026 – and competing priorities – we would like to seek your Region’s views regarding the opportunity to carry out the two activities.

INSARAG Global Simulation Exercise (2026)

Conduct an international simulation exercise under the INSARAG framework (Enhanced Earthquake Response Exercise) in Qatar in Q3 of 2026. This would be the first of its kind, bringing together regional and international USAR teams, humanitarian actors, and government agencies under a realistic deployment and humanitarian coordination scenario. The exercise would test the application of the INSARAG Guidelines, interoperability amongst stakeholders, multi-agency coordination, and it could also serve as a platform for technical training and innovation. The exercise would also include operational elements with USAR Teams working on worksites.

INSARAG High-Level Conference (2025)

Hold a high level (ministerial level) conference on INSARAG. This event would serve to reaffirm global commitment to the INSARAG guidelines and coordination framework; showcase regional and international progress since the adoption first INSARAG Declaration (the Hyogo Declaration); as well as Qatar’s leadership role in international disaster response and humanitarian assistance. The proposed central theme of the event would be the celebration of 15th Anniversary of the INSARAG Declaration (drafted at the Global Meeting in 2010 (here) and feature the key contributions of INSARAG as a model of efficiency and standard setting, in particular at the time of the Humanitarian Reset.

Please note that Qatar would be sponsoring flights and accommodation of participants during their stay. In addition, to ensure well planned and delivered events, Qatar would be contracting reputable event managers from the INSARAG network to lead the design, planning and execution of the projects concerned.

Please share your Region’s views with the INSARAG Secretariat by 9 May and we will reply to the State of Qatar regarding its initiatives.

ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL GROUP MEETING 2019

The 2019 INSARAG Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting was held on 15 and 16 August 2019 in Cairns, Australia, with 84 senior heads and officials from diplomatic authorities and national disaster management agencies from 16 countries and organizations, plus UN INSARAG representatives

 

Annex A_Meeting_Formal_Agenda

Annex B_Participants List

Annex C_Outcomes of the INSARAG Global Meeting 2020 discussions

Annex D_INSARAG AP Workplan 2020 Discussions- AP Meeting – Cairns 2019

Final_2019 INSARAG AP Meeting Summary Australia 15-16 August 2019

IRNAP China

INSARAG congratulates China, the 10 countries in the world on the successful completion and endorsement of its INSARAG Recognized National Accreditation Process (IRNAP).

This achievement highlights China’s strong commitment to INSARAG’s global standards and continuous efforts to enhance international cooperation and preparedness in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) operations.

The INSARAG Secretariat commends the dedication and professionalism demonstrated throughout the process and looks forward to continued collaboration within our global network.

IER TUR-01

Congratulations to the AFAD-1 Istanbul USAR Türkiye Team (TUR-01) for successfully passing the INSARAG External Reclassification (IER) in Ankara, Türkiye between 17-21 November! This recognition affirms the exceptional skill and commitment to International Search and Rescue of the team. The INSARAG Secretariat extends its most sincere congratulations.

IER TUR-02

Congratulations to the AFA-2 Ankara USAR Türkiye Team (TUR-02) for successfully passing the INSARAG External Reclassification (IER) in Ankara, Türkiye between 13-17 October! This recognition affirms the exceptional skill and commitment to International Search and Rescue of the team. The INSARAG Secretariat extends its most sincere congratulations.

IEC THA-01

Congratulations to the USAR Thailand Team (THA-01) for successfully passing the INSARAG External Classification (IEC) in Bangkok, Thailand between 10-14 November! This recognition affirms the exceptional skill and commitment to International Search and Rescue of the team. The INSARAG Secretariat extends its most sincere congratulations.

INSARAG Community Responder Training: Enhancing Civil Society Preparedness in the Kurdistan Region Iraq

The INSARAG Community Responder Training (CRT) was developed to provide guidance and training for first aiders on community level. Analysis of earthquakes have shown that the majority of successful rescues are done within the first hours by civilians – neighbors and family members – long before professional help can arrive. Thus, the CRT aims to build and develop local capacities within civil society to respond to incidents in areas where no organized USAR teams are (yet) present. In 2023 the ISG endorsed the Community Responder Training Package (back then under the name “First Responder Training 2.0”). The training covers the complete theoretical and practical standard curriculum of the INSARAG, focusing on disaster assessment and information gathering, formation of responder teams, task allocation within the teams, simple search and rescue operations, basic medical care, and reporting.

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq was one of five countries that has implemented the INSARAG Community Responder Training. An essential success factor is the careful localization of the training. Local trainers adapt the standardized content to the community-specific conditions—whether it is the local earthquake risk, typical types of disasters, regional building styles, or real examples from the area. This practical approach ensures that participants better understand the content and can directly apply the exercises in their daily lives.

From October 13 to 16, 2025, the Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC) held the Community Responder Training Week for the second time in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with the support by the German Agency for Technical Relief (THW). During this event, five CRT courses took place simultaneously across the entire Kurdistan Region of Iraq. A total of 125 participants from civil society, including teachers, volunteers, and agency staff, were trained in Erbil, Sulaymaniah, Halabja, Dohuk, and Raparin. Already in November 2024, the training was conducted simultaneously at five locations in the region.

The training is fully organized and conducted by JCC. THW provides administrative support and, together with a representative from the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, officially launched the event digitally. The training was mainly conducted by JCC master trainers supported by THW staff, who took part in the test-run of the CRT by THW in 2023 in Wesel, Germany. JCC has proven outstanding commitment furthering the trainings. Looking back, THW supported JCC conducting 43 Community Responder Trainings in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Up to today, around 1.000 Community Responders have been trained.

The Community Responder Training is a significant step toward better preparing the local population for potential crises, especially earthquakes. It is crucial for the protection and safety – not only of the communities in the Kurdistan Region Iraq. The CRT package can be downloaded here.