Head of UNDRR's message on International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

Survival is the most basic of all human instincts. Yet millions of people cannot survive because they are not warned of the impending disasters.

Today, one-third of the world’s population, mainly in the least developed countries and small island developing states, are not covered by disaster early warning systems.

In Africa, it is even worse: 60 per cent of people lack coverage.

This is unacceptable.

Early warning and early action save lives.

On this year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, I call on all countries to implement Target G of the Sendai Framework to increase access to multi-hazard early warning systems and risk information.

Together, we can achieve the global goal set by the UN Secretary-General that every person on the planet is covered by an early warning system within the next 5 years.

We can, and we must, stop hazards from becoming disasters, and put the world on a path to Zero Climate Disasters.

Thank you.