The global summit for disaster risk reduction starts in Bali, Indonesia, to strengthen global disaster resiliency

BADUNG,Indonesia,May 27,2022 --Indonesia and the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) host the Seventh Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2022) in Bali,from 23 to 28 May 2022as informed by Ministry of Communications and Informatics of the Republic of the Indonesia.

President Joko Widodo (right) with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (left) holding “a kentongan” (a traditional tool made of bamboo or carved teak wood) when opening the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 2022 at BNDCC,Nusa Dua,Bali,Wednesday (25/5/2022). GPDRR 2022 will be held on May 23-28,2022 in Bali with overaching theme "From Risk to Resilience: Towards Sustainable Development for All in a COVID-19 Transformed World". Credit: Media Center GP2022/Wahyu Putro

The first Global Platform since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and also the first time to be held in the Asia region.

The Global Platform is the primary global multi-stakeholder forum that assesses and discusses progress on the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).

This year's event is an important forum as it provides opportunity for all countries to take stock of progress and accelerate the Sendai Framework implementation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his opening remarks,H.E. President Joko Widodo of Indonesia reminded the need for all nations to cope with disaster risk without neglecting sustainable development. "At the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction,today,Indonesia offers to the world the concept of sustainable resilience as a solution to mitigate all forms of disasters,including pandemics," said President Widodo.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General H.E. Amina J. Mohammed highlighted the urgent need for rapid actions to build global disaster resiliency. U.N.'s flagship Global Assessment Report,which was published last month,raised the alarm that humanity was on a "spiral of self-destruction",with the potential of reaching 560 – or 1.5 medium- to large scale disasters a day – by 2030 without a radical rethink in how risk is managed and financed. It is particularly relevant for the Asia-Pacific region,where disasters cost on average 1.6 per cent of GDP a year,more than any other part of the world.

"Over the next three days,we have a unique opportunity to consider the best policy options to move from risk to resilience and to take important steps to ensure the recovery from COVID-19 puts us back on track for a safe and sustainable future," said Amina Mohammed.

Two high-level dialogues on accelerating the global implementation of the Sendai Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals along with ministerial roundtable discussing the challenge posed by the climate emergency are among the main agenda for the first day of the Global Platform.

Around 7,000 delegates representing both government and non-government organizations from over 185 member countries and observers participate in this Conference.