2009 Global assesment report on disaster risk reduction launch event: Bangkok, Thailand

Asia and the Pacific is the most susceptible region in the world to the natural hazards, and being the most populous region in the world, it experiences enormous losses to lives, livelihoods, social and economic assets in natural disasters, reversing the region’s economic and social development drastically. For example, in the first nine months of the year 2008, disasters across the region accounted for 37 per cent of the world’s total, for more than 99 per cent of the world’s reported victims, more than 94 per cent of people affected, and over 87 per cent of overall economic damage. Hazards in the region are likely to become more frequent and severe as a result of the emerging challenges of the climate change.

The United Nations is launching a First Global Report that identifies increasing disaster risk factors and recommends 20 disaster risk reduction actions that will reduce poverty, safeguard development and adapt to climate change, with beneficial effects on broader global security, stability and sustainability.

The Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction launched for the first time internationally in Bahrain on 17-18 May by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will be launched regionally in Bangkok on 25 May 2009, in presence of senior officials from the Regional Organisations, Government of Thailand, senior representatives from the UN Agencies, International Financial Institutions, and the Civil Society, followed by a discussion on the implications of the Reports’ findings for the Asia and the Pacific. The meeting is organized jointly by the UNISDR and UNDP Regional Centre, Bangkok at the United Nations Conference Centre.

The deliberations of the meeting will serve as a basis for developing a Road map for disaster risk reduction in the Asia Pacific, and will contribute to the forthcoming Second Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction, to be held in Geneva, 16-19 June 2009.