Armenia to host regional conference on disaster losses

BRUSSELS/GENEVA, 18 May 2018 – The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) today announced that Armenia will host countries from Central Asia and the South Caucasus in June to discuss scaling up efforts to reduce disaster losses.

The UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Ms. Mami Mizutori, said: “This region is severely affected by disasters including earthquakes, landslides, floods, droughts and extreme temperatures, man-made and technological hazards. In the last three decades, disasters have affected almost 4 million people in the region and resulted in annual average losses of EUR 250 million. This meeting will be an opportunity to review progress in Europe on implementing the global plan to reduce disaster losses, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.”

The 2018 Sub-Regional Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, June 26-27, will bring together Ministers, Mayors, private sector, academia, international organizations, civil society and delegates from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan under the theme “An integrated platform for sustainable development and building resilience.”

Mr. Hrachya Rostomyan, the Minister of Emergency Situations, Armenia, said: “Armenia welcomes the opportunity to host this important gathering. Disaster risk management is a priority for our government and the conference will give a strong boost towards the implementation of the Sendai Framework in Central Asia and South Caucasus.”

Ms. Paola Albrito, Chief of UNISDR’s Regional Office for Europe, said: “This year’s focus on sustainable development is key. Coherence in implementing action on reducing disaster risk with the international agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement on Climate Change, is fundamental. We cannot achieve sustainable development without reducing disaster risk”