The floods in China and Bangladesh were followed by similar events in Vietnam and India. The study of these events shows that there are many issues and challenges commonly faced by these countries. Equally, some of the countries have developed specific expertise in various stages of the cycle of flood control, settlements and environmental management. In this regard there are many large benefits to be accrued from the exchange or expertise and technical knowledge among these countries.

UN-HABITAT has embarked on a regional programme to promote exchange of knowledge and technicals capacity among countries in South Asia including: Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Vietnam. The programme has held consultations with national government representatives and technical experts to define the scope of the country studies to be carried out to identify technical needs and capabilities. The capabilities of governments to effectively manage disaster are critical in developing sustainable relief strategies. Enabling governments to draw on resources and experiences in the region is another key strategy of DMP and will strengthen the long term approaches to mitigating the effects of disaster in regions such as South Asia.