UNDRR News

Journalists from across the Americas region were urged to spread the word that natural hazards such as earthquakes and tornadoes may be impossible to stop but that there is nothing inevitable about the loss of life and economic damage they inflict.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC) was officially opened by His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi.

The UNDRR launched a new report this week - Delivering risk-informed investment: addressing the barriers - which offers eight concrete areas where stakeholders can take immediate action to incorporate disaster risk into their investment decisions.

The Youth Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction - The Americas and the Caribbean was an opportunity for some of the region’s 106 million young people to share priorities, concerns and make proposals over four hours of presentations, plenary sessions and panels. The online gathering was held a week before representatives of governments and civil society meet, again virtually, for the VII Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Tsunamis are only devastating if people and their livelihoods get in the way, as suggested by the largest tsunami ever recorded only killing five people.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Regional Office for Arab States launched the ARISE Egypt National Network, which is the second National ARISE network to be developed in the Arab Region.

Despite the deep scars left by the crisis, countries now have a fresh focus on health, resilience and regionalism plus a chance to fully incorporate disaster risk reduction into their recovery.

On 21 September, the city of Bishkek, in cooperation with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), conducted the Preliminary Disaster Resilience Scorecard Assessment. The event is part of a series of workshops focused on resilience assessments and the development of the “Local Disaster Resilience Strategy and Action Plan” for the capital city of the Kyrgyz Republic by August 2022.

MCR2030’s short video contest 'Voices of the Community - Getting Ready for a Resilient Future in the Americas and the Caribbean', gives local voices a platform to tell a story, share ideas, practices, and experiences of their communities related to disaster risk reduction and resilience. The contest emphasizes the ability of local communities to reduce their disaster risks, their efforts to build resilient cities and highlights potential pathways for effective partnerships.

Investing in reducing disaster and climate risk is vital for the sustainable development and the future resilience of the citizens of SIDS. We must all come together towards implementing the Sendai Framework so that this becomes a reality.