Reducing Disaster Risk in the Arab Region

Cairo. – The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, the world’s foremost gathering of disaster risk reduction stakeholders, will convene from 8 to 13 May in Geneva. The Arab region will be represented by over 100 participants from 21 countries. A governmental delegation from Egypt will attend this event as well as the Information and Decision Support Center (ISDC), the Arab Academy for Science Technology and Maritime Transport and the Regional Center for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Managed by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), the Global Platform will bring together governments, non-governmental organizations, academics and all those who share their experience, expertise and commitment to reducing disaster risk in the world. A side event for the Arab States will review progress in implementing Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) in the region and will also discuss follow up to the League of Arab States strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction.

Last December, the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment adopted an Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020, in response to the increasing frequency and intensity of recent disasters and in recognition of the necessity to reduce risks associated with disaster trends in the region. Learning from other experiences, including on cities’ resilience and climate change adaptation, will become critical for the Arab Region as it starts to map-out the necessary steps for translating the strategic vision and priorities into national and local actions.

Caption: The Global Platform for Disaster Reduction was established in 2007 as a biennial forum. Margareta Wahlström, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction