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29 to 31 March 2017 | By invitation only

Disasters perpetuate poverty and poverty creates conditions that make poor people vulnerable to the impacts of natural hazards. Estimates for 89 countries indicate that if disasters caused by natural hazards could be prevented next year, the number of people living in extreme poverty would fall by around 26 million (S. Hallegate, and others, 2017).

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by UN member States in September 2015, offers a renewed push for integrating the poverty and disaster risk reduction agendas. This regional learning platform is an opportunity for disaster risk reduction experts and practitioners from more than 20 countries in the Asia-Pacific region to exchange experiences and share perspectives on how to effectively mainstream disaster risk reduction into sustainable development with a focus on supporting country efforts to end poverty. The participants will also identify challenges and opportunities, and propose guidance for evolving regional cooperation and institutional responses to address disaster risks in support of poverty eradication efforts.

This platform is being convened under the Development Account-supported project “Enhancing knowledge and capacity to manage disaster risk for a resilient future in Asia and the Pacific.” Implemented by ESCAP and partners in nine countries across the region, the project aims to enhance the knowledge and capacity of policymakers and government officials to utilize assessment methods and tools for integrating disaster risk reduction into national development planning and into poverty eradication strategies. The project has developed and rolled-out several knowledge products about understanding disaster risk, assessing damage losses, and applying risk knowledge to planning, recovery and reconstruction.

This regional learning platform is being held back-to-back with the fourth session of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD), the region’s preparatory meeting for the global High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development.

Additional Documents

for more information, please contact

Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division [email protected]