IDDRR Commemoration: International Cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia-Pacific

Date: Friday 22 October 2021
Time: 11:00 - 11:55 AM Jakarta / Bangkok time
            4:00 - 4:55 PM Suva time

Speakers

	H.E. Ekkaphab Phanthavong Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community ASEAN Secretariat		Mr. Marco Toscano-Rivalta Chief UNDRR Regional Office for Asia-Pacific
	Dr. Riyanti Djalante Assistant Director / Head of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Division ASEAN Secretariat		Mr. Basanta Shrestha Director of Strategic Cooperation International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
	Ms. Rhonda Robinson Deputy Director Disaster and Community Resilience Programme The Pacific Community (SPC)		Mr. Steven G. Olive, Ph.D. Mission Director USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia

Objective

In commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), this event aims to highlight examples of how countries in Asia-Pacific are cooperating to strengthen disaster risk reduction and build resilience.

Background

The United Nations General Assembly has designated 13 October as the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction.

In 2021 the theme for IDDRR is around Target F of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030: “Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of the present Framework by 2030.”

To date, most countries in Asia-Pacific have developed national strategies for disaster risk reduction to guide their efforts to prevent and reduce the impacts of disaster. However, many developing countries lack the resources and capacity to implement these strategies and address their disaster risks. This is especially critical for least developed countries in Asia-Pacific, which are seeking to graduate and maintain middle-income status. Moreover, no one country can address all transboundary climate and disaster risks, including those from biological hazards.

Therefore, international cooperation is essential to help countries achieve the Sendai Framework and reduce global disaster losses. Cooperation includes the sharing of knowledge, technical expertise, the provision of financial support, and the formulation of regional plans, to name a few areas.
 

Audience

This will be a public event that is open to all. It is expected to have participants from National Disaster Management Organisations (NDMOs) from across the Asia-Pacific region, in addition to UN agencies, civil society organisations, intergovernmental organizations, academia and the private sector.

Organizers

• United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat