Asia-Pacific Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction Forum
The forum was attended by more than 175 participants from 30 countries, several intergovernmental, United Nations and international organisations, and stakeholder groups.
Participants reflected on priorities for action in the region, which will substantively shape the 2021 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR), to be hosted by the Australian Government and convened by United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
AIDR Executive Director Amanda Leck moderated the opening panel discussion on the topic: Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance. The Asia-Pacific has made considerable progress in reducing disaster risks and enhancing the resilience of countries and communities. Despite this, various risk drivers continue to exacerbate challenges such as increasing economic losses and increasing frequency and magnitude of disasters. COVID-19 has already demonstrated that a narrow focus on a small set of hazards, by one or two government agencies, is not enough to prevent or even respond to complex disaster risks.
The panel offered lessons related to risk governance that have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing compounded impact of dual disasters. The panel members suggested key regional priorities in Asia-Pacific for strengthening inclusive risk governance and resilience building over the next 10 years of Sendai and SDG implementation.
The following speakers contributed to the Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance panel:
- Krishna Vatsa, Member, National Disaster Management Authority, India
- Jerry Treñas, Mayor, Iloilo City, Philippines
- Nelly Caleb, National Director, Vanuatu Disability, Promotion and Advocacy Association
- Emily Ying Yang Chan, Professor, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
All the presentations and submitted reflections are now available on the Asia-Pacific Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction Forum website.