The partnership between ADPC and UNESCAP started in 2000 in joint efforts to promote a safer and more prosperous region for Asia and the Pacific through various joint activities. This partnership was further strengthened in 2004, when UNESCAP was invited by ADPC to join PDR-SEA 2, which was financially supported by the DIPECHO, to participate in strengthening capacity of six Southeast Asian countries in community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM).

Since then, the ADPC-UNESCAP partnership developed a strategy to combine the strengths of each partner: ADPC in tools and techniques for CBDRM, especially for grass-roots activities and UNESCAP in socio-economic development and related strategic planning and management. With this strategy on combined strengths, the project of PDR-SEA 3 was designed to focus on institutionalization of CBDRM into socio-economic development in five countries. With intention to ensure sustainability of PDR-SEA programme.

PDRSEA 4 is now implemented focusing on consolidating achievements during the past three phases through synthesizing best practices, analyzing good lessons and enhancing ownership of participating countries. With this new focus, the strategy of the partnership will involve more active participation of the participating countries in the implementation of the project and better delineation of responsibilities between UNESCAP and ADPC in expected outputs of the project.