Regional Orientation and Consultation on the first draft Strategic Approach to Capacity Development for Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction at Africa-Arab Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction

Background

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 has set ambitious targets. At varying levels, Member States, will require support in their efforts to implement the Sendai Framework and achieve its target of preventing new and reducing existing disaster risk and to strengthen resilience. One of the areas that Member States have identified where technical support is required is in building the capacity of institutions and professionals dealing with the implementation of the Sendai Framework at the national and local level.

To fulfil this expectation, a paradigm shift in the approach to capacity development is required. Current approaches to capacity development will require rationalization to bring coherence in the work done by a variety of actors, including United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations, state-led and private sector stakeholders.

Given this need, from mid-2017 to March 2018, the UNISDR facilitated consultations and study of prevailing DRR-specific capacity development needs of Member States in collaboration with UN entities, partners, and DRR stakeholders for the purpose of developing a more effective strategic approach, during which a broad range of needs, ideas, and approaches were identified and assessed, a baseline notion of success emerged within the present first draft Strategic Approach to Capacity Development for Implementation of the Sendai Framework.

Pursuing a global Strategic Approach will allow partners to work together in a complementary way to ensure capacity development programmes lead to sustainable capacities in the Member States with the aim of reducing disaster losses and strengthen resilience, including within the Africa and Arab States regions.

Expert consultations on the zero draft strategy (March 2018) called for participation of Member States and regional inter-governmental organizations to be engaged in the roll out of the strategy. It was strongly suggested to have a global strategy/strategic approach with tailored regional packages facilitated by regional inter-governmental organizations for the regional context. Several Member States and other stakeholders volunteered to test the principles of the strategy in their work, and report back the feedback.

Thus, participation of Member States, Regional Intergovernmental Organizations, other key regional bodies, and all stakeholders from the Africa and Arab States regions will benefit from identifying any additional region-specific needs, identifying or sharing existing mechanisms for partnership, and learning how piloting the strategy may strengthen coherent capacity development approaches for all within the regions.

About the Strategic Approach

The Strategic Approach is a living resource of empowerment for all relevant capacity partners and stakeholders, and its goal: A Vision of Risk-Informed Sustainable Development by 2030. It provides generalized advice on the capacity development roles and responsibilities of various DRR stakeholders, and high-level guidance in six critical areas of need:

• Developing and Strengthening DRR Fundamentals
• Institutionalizing DRR Capacity
• Sharing and Using Risk Information Before and After Disasters
• Establishing Collaborative Action for DRR at the National and Local Levels
• Strengthening External Support Mechanisms
• Advancing and Expanding DRR Capabilities

https://www.preventionweb.net/drr-framework/sendai-framework/capacitydevelopment

Objectives

• Orient stakeholders on first draft Strategic Approach to Capacity Development (CD), including priority areas for action (section 3) and mechanisms to anchor CD for DRR (section 5)
• Identify key regional partnerships for coordinated CD for DRR action
• Identify and agree on common regional mechanisms for implementation and follow up

Intended main outcome and Key messages

Main Outcomes

• General commitment the Strategic Approach and common action secured (may include commitment to pilot testing in specific countries or across IGO membership)
• Key regional partnerships for coordinated CD for DRR action identified.
• Common regional mechanisms for implementation and follow up identified and agreed.

Key Messages

• Achieving risk-informed development by 2030 requires a coherent and strategic approach to capacity development for disaster risk reduction by all partners and stakeholders.
• Capacity development approaches shall be guided by ‘Driving Principles of Effective Capacity Development’ that promote common understanding, coherence across scales of space and time, ‘all-of-society’ approaches and are impact-focused, demand-driven, strategic and sustainable, nationally-led, value-added, practical, standard-focused, and strengthen knowledge.