Summary report, 2–6 June 2025

In the week before this meeting convened, the tiny village of Blatten was buried in a cataclysmic landslide triggered by the collapse of the Birch glacier in the Swiss Alps. For many participants at this meeting, the incident affirmed the value of disaster preparedness, while also highlighting the destabilization of Earth systems linked to climate change. As Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary General, said: “Early warning saves lives but cannot save glaciers from disappearing.”

In 2024, 45.8 million people were displaced globally, marking the highest number of people newly displaced within a single year. The year 2024 was also the hottest on record for planet Earth. The Blatten disaster, as noted by a speaker during the opening plenary, occurred just 130 km from the meeting venue, confirming that no place on Earth is immune to disasters. Vanuatu shared a stark reminder to participants of the unpredictability of global environmental crises, noting that the island nation was preparing for a Category 5 cyclone—a now-common occurrence—when it was hit unexpectedly in December 2024 by a 7.3 magnitude earthquake, incurring losses amounting to 65% of GDP.

The Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction is a venue for all stakeholders to share ideas, showcase achievements, and coordinate their efforts toward achieving the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. The eighth session was the first to take place since the Sendai Framework’s Mid-Term Review (MTR) in 2023—which, many speakers noted, found that the world is not on track to achieve all its commitments, despite some wins. Disaster mortality has decreased by half between the period 2005-2014 and 2014-2023, in part due to improvements in infrastructure, early warning systems (EWS), and emergency responses. However, many participants at this meeting also pointed to an upward trend in the intensity and frequency of disasters impacting people, communities, and ecosystems—with some communities now in a state of “perpetual recovery” as they are buffeted by one extreme event after another. With only five years remaining until 2030, when the Sendai Framework is meant to be achieved, the Global Platform 2025 was an occasion for placing the focus firmly on resilience as a long-term endeavor, rather than short-term disaster response and relief.

With development aid budgets shrinking, discussions of financing focused on domestic sources, for example, the ways that governments can put in place pre-approved funds that can be accessed rapidly at subnational levels immediately after a disaster. They also looked to ways to channel finance to the local level through mechanisms such as parametric insurance and microloans, which may help farmers, fishers, and others who depend directly on natural resources to reestablish themselves more quickly after a disaster. Public-private partnerships, regional alliances, industry incentives, and leadership of banks were also common topics of discussion. The meeting reflected the ways in which governments are pivoting toward permanent institutional arrangements to manage recovery, rather than dismantling management structures after an initial relief response. As one UN official noted, it is “time to stop thinking of disaster risk as a project but as a process.” Many countries looked to climate funds, such as the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FLDR) and to integrating countries’ National Adaptation Plans with DRR plans and strategies, as pathways toward accessing international finance, while emphasizing the need for local actors to benefit. Trust building, co-design, and co-ownership of recovery efforts featured in many discussions, as well as innovative, sustainable, and climate-smart solutions to increase and improve resilience building.

The Global Platform 2025, on the theme of ‘Every Day Counts, Act for Resilience Today’ also revealed that resilience itself has many meanings. Participants highlighted the value of traditional knowledge in coping with environmental change; a speaker from Antigua and Barbuda, for example, highlighted that sea-level rise will reduce land area but also increase wetlands that protect from storms and increase fishing areas, stressing that “our livelihoods can be crafted around that change.”

The meeting featured accommodations for people of all abilities, with surtitles and sign language included as the official interpretation, and quiet zones available around the venue.

The Global Platform 2025 was organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and hosted by the Government of Switzerland in Geneva. More than 3,600 participants from 165 countries attended the various sessions in person and online. 

A Brief History of the Global Platform for DRR

Since 2007, UNDRR has periodically organized the Global Platform as the world’s leading multistakeholder forum for DRR. Global Platform sessions help advance implementation of the Sendai Framework on DRR 2015-2030. Its outcomes also feed into discussions of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), contributing to monitoring and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its associated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As action to reduce risk has grown in importance on the international agenda, Global Platform sessions bring together stakeholders to share policies, strategies, and measures for building resilience to hazards and reducing vulnerability to disasters. The following history highlights the development of the international DRR agenda.

Origin of the Process

The first World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR)convened in Yokohama, Japan, in 1994, and adopted the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World and its Plan of Action. The strategy set guidelines for action on prevention, preparedness, and mitigation of disaster risk. These guidelines were based on principles of risk assessment, disaster prevention and preparedness, capacity to prevent, reduce, and mitigate disasters, and early warning. The strategy also stated that the international community should share technology to prevent, reduce, and mitigate disasters, while demonstrating strong political determination in the field of disaster reduction.

At its 54th session in 1999, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) agreed to establish the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), and an Inter-Agency Secretariat and Task Force for Disaster Reduction (IATF/DR) for implementation of the ISDR (Resolutions A/RES/54/219 and A/RES/56/195, respectively). Among its mandated tasks, the IATF/DR was to convene ad hoc expert meetings on issues related to disaster reduction.

Key Turning Points and Linkages with Other Processes

Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters (HFA) and the Hyogo Declaration were adopted by 168 states at the Second WCDR, which convened from 18-22 January 2005 in Kobe, Japan. UNGA Resolution 60/195 endorsed the HFA and committed governments to five priorities to: ensure DRR is a national and local priority, with a strong institutional basis for implementation; identify, assess, and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning; use knowledge, innovation, and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels; reduce the underlying risk factors; and strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels.

Global Platform for DRR: In 2006, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs launched a consultative process to consider practical ways of strengthening the ISDR system to support governments in meeting their commitments to implement the HFA. The Global Platform for DRR was formed as an expanded and reformed successor to the IATF/DR, envisaged to serve as the primary multistakeholder forum for all parties involved in DRR to raise awareness about the issue, share experiences, and guide the ISDR system.

The first session of the Global Platform was held from 5-7 June 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland, and included a high-level dialogue on DRR challenges and opportunities, a series of workshops on DRR as a national priority and integrating DRR into sector agendas, and sessions on assessing and implementing the HFA. The next three sessions of the Global Platform sessions took place in Geneva in 2009, 2011, and 2013.

Mid-Term Review of the HFA 2005-2015: The MTR of the HFA, released in March 2011, concluded that progress on DRR was occurring, especially institutionally through the passing of national legislation, establishment of EWS, and strengthening disaster preparedness and response. It raised concerns about: the lack of systematic multi-hazard risk assessments and EWS, factoring in social and economic vulnerabilities; poor integration of DRR into sustainable development policies and planning at national and international levels; and insufficient HFA implementation at the local level.

Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030: The Sendai Framework was adopted at the Third UN World Conference on DRR, which convened from 14-18 March 2015 in Sendai, Japan. The Framework aims to achieve: substantial reduction of disaster risk and loss of lives, livelihoods, and health as well as of losses in the economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities, and countries. It outlines four priorities of action (understanding disaster risk; strengthening disaster risk governance; investing in DRR; and enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction) to achieve a set of seven global targets. The targets include specific references to lowering the rates of mortality and people affected by disaster, loss in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP), and damage to critical infrastructure and services. They also target the substantial enhancement of international cooperation and finance.

Fifth Session of the Global Platform: The fifth session of the Global Platform for DRR convened from 24-26 May 2017 in Cancún, Mexico. A key outcome of the meeting was the release of the Cancún High-Level Communiqué, the result of a closed-door Leaders’ Forum. Under the theme “Ensuring the resilience of infrastructure and housing,” the Communiqué commits to: implement the Sendai Framework in coherence with the SDGs, the Paris Agreement on climate change, and the New Urban Agenda; and promote people-centered, gender-sensitive, accessible, and resilient urban development that supports all of society, including vulnerable, poor, and marginalized peoples. The fifth session also issued a Chair’s Summary, which addressed the priority action areas that emerged from the meeting. The Chair’s Summary was forwarded to the July 2017 session of the HLPF. 

Sixth Session of the Global Platform: This session took place from 13-17 May 2019 in Geneva, under the theme, “Resilience Dividend: Towards Sustainable and Inclusive Societies.” Two preparatory days included the first UNDRR Stakeholders Forum. A major outcome of the sixth session was the launch of the 2019 Global Assessment Report on DRR, which provides an overview of countries’ progress toward achieving the seven global targets of the Sendai Framework. The session adopted a Chairs’ Summary comprising recommendations for the MTR of the Sendai Framework, and for DRR to be fully integrated into implementation of the SDGs.

Seventh Session of the Global Platform: The session took place from 23 to 28 May 2022 in Bali, and was organized by UNDRR and hosted by the Government of Indonesia, on the theme “From Risk to Resilience: Towards Sustainable Development for All in a COVID-19 Transformed World.” Sub-themes addressed: disaster risk governance; COVID-19 recovery; and DRR financing. Delegates discussed: the Sendai Framework stocktaking for the MTR; actions to reduce disaster risk for the most vulnerable, including Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, and persons with disabilities, and to ensure their full and effective participation in decision making; and potential synergies with the sustainable development and climate action agendas and policies.

The meeting outcome was summarized in the Co-Chairs’ “Bali Agenda for Resilience,” which, among several points, called for adopting a “Think Resilience” approach in all investments and decision making, and for recognizing ecosystems as critical infrastructure that provides basic environmental, socio-economic, and cultural benefits.

Regional Platforms: Regional Platforms have convened in the Africa, Arab, and Asia-Pacific regions, as well as in Europe, and the Americas and the Caribbean, to further advance implementation of the Sendai Framework.

Regional Platforms feeding into the 2025 session of the Global Platform for DRR were:

• the Regional Platform for DRR in the Americas and the Caribbean, held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, from February 28 to March 2, 2023, which focused on science and technology for comprehensive disaster risk management;
• the second Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on DRR in Manila, the Philippines, from 14-17 October 2024, which discussed enhancing DRR financing, gender-responsive and inclusive DRR, localization, and urban and rural resilience;
• the ninth Africa Regional Platform for DRR in Windhoek, Namibia, from 21-24 October 2024, which addressed on applying risk information, investing to reduce risk, and minimizing loss and damage.
• the Europe and Central Asia Regional Platform for DRR in Budva, Montenegro, from 6-8 November 2024, which focused on climate-driven risks and other hazards, earthquake risk and recovery, and children and youth; and
• the sixth Arab Regional Platform for DRR, held in Kuwait from 9-12 February 2025, which highlighted the importance of risk management, governance, investment, and innovation, and promoted the integration of DRR into development and climate policies.

Mid-Term Review of the Sendai Framework 2015-2030: In 2023, the UNDRR Secretariat coordinated the Mid-Term Review report, based on policy, strategic, and guidance documents provided by Member States, eight thematic studies, national consultations and contributions from non-State stakeholders. A High-Level Meeting on the MTR, which took place from 18-19 May 2023 at UN Headquarters in New York, issued a Political Declaration (A/RES/77/289) reaffirming the commitment to full implementation of the Sendai Framework.

Summaries of ENB coverage of the Global Platform for DRR and some of the Regional Platform sessions can be found at: enb.iisd.org/topics/disasters-humanitarian-relief

Report of the Eighth Session of the Global Platform for DRR

The Global Platform 2025 began with two days of preparatory events at the Geneva Conference Center from 2-3 June. Participants from around the world, including women-led groups, the private sector, people with disabilities, youth, and Indigenous groups, convened at the two-day Stakeholder Forum to showcase their DRR initiatives, share knowledge, and coordinate efforts. The forum was the third such session to take place in the context of the Global Platform.

At the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) building, the Global Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Multistakeholder Forum ran in parallel for two days.

A one-day World Resilient Recovery Conference also took place at the Geneva Conference Center on 3 June.

As the preparatory events concluded, an opening ceremony and dialogue among national DRR platforms took place on the afternoon of 3 June. The official Global Platform 2025 programme ran from 4-6 June, comprising high-level dialogues, ministerial roundtables, and many thematic sessions, special events, and special sessions. A multistakeholder plenary throughout the three days of the official programme provided space for governments, international organizations, and civil society to showcase achievements and offer perspectives on DRR and resilience. Many side events and ‘learning labs’ also took place around the venue. Webcasts of the sessions are available here.

This report provides coverage of selected events during the eighth Global Platform for DRR and is organized by session type.

Preparatory Days

Third Stakeholder Forum on DRR

This two-day event, organized by the UNDRR-Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism (UNDRR-SEM), took place as a series of panel discussions moderated by UNDRR partners and Secretariat staff.

Opening: On Monday, the Forum opened with statements by the Governments of Switzerland and Indonesia and senior UN leaders under the theme “United for Resilience.” Speakers highlighted progress on the Bali Agenda for Resilience, an outcome of the seventh Global Platform in 2022, and opportunities for inclusive DRR.

Mirjam Macchi Howell, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), appreciated stakeholders’ solidarity around the evacuation and assistance to the historic Swiss village of Blatten, destroyed last week by a glacial landslide. She noted that even livestock were cared for—a powerful reminder that “resilience begins with local people,” and inclusive solutions are more effective when those directly affected by disasters bring vital knowledge to action.

Achsanul Habib, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the UN, reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to risk-informed policies and inclusive approaches. He encouraged all participants to use the Stakeholder Forum as “not only a platform to listen and share, but as a platform to act together.”

The event also showcased the Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments online platform, where stakeholders can register their commitments, and users can identify areas of activity as well as gaps. Yuki Matsuoka, UNDRR, noted that 729 individual organizations had registered their commitments.

Whole-of-Society Approach for the Sendai Framework for DRR: A Collective Responsibility: Sarah Wade-Apicella, UNDRR, moderated this session.

On effective methods to implement inclusive DRR, Marcie Roth, Executive Director, World Institute on Disability, underscored the need for people with disabilities to be involved early in co-development of disaster risk strategies, and for foresight processes to incorporate diverse voices. Hamad Sabah Al-Sawar, Director, Crisis and Disaster Management, Bahrain, described Bahrain’s communication platform providing diverse modes of information sharing in multiple languages, the use of a phone application, and a common hashtag used to mobilize public action.

On intersectional and intergenerational knowledge sharing, Tom Colley, HelpAge International, drew attention to the wide network of older people’s associations worldwide as opportunities to engage this age group in DRR. He noted these associations can also harness and serve as channels for bringing Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge into DRR strategies. Barrise Griffin, Disaster Risk Management Authority, The Bahamas, emphasized moving away from one-off, extractive approaches to information gathering, and instead facilitating ongoing dialogue. Josefina Miculax Sincal, Huairou Commission, called for frameworks and training to strengthen good practices at the community level.

Participants then heard comments and questions from the floor on: the role of national DRR platforms in community-level participation, engagement, and school programmes for children; managing conflicts of interest; looking beyond immediate impacts of DRR; measuring the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement; shifting risk ownership to local communities to handle disasters; and securing resources.

Data and Financing for Disaster Displacement as Loss and Damage: Steven Goldfinch, Asian Development Bank (ADB), moderated this session.

Christelle Cazabat, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), explained that research into Hurricane Milton’s impacts in the US shows how people’s aspirations change when displacement stretches into the long term. She noted 2024 saw the highest number of people displaced in a single year globally (45.8 million), as well as the highest number of people continuing to live in displacement (9.8 million). 

Noralene Uy, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippines, noted that her country works to ensure children have access to child-friendly spaces during displacement, and that national protocols guide national and local assessments and reporting.

Isoa Talemaibua, Ministry for Maritime and Rural Development and Disaster Management, Fiji, highlighted Fiji’s risk assessment activities and stressed the value of financial tools such as green and blue bonds, and parametric insurance that enables rapid payouts based on environmental triggers.

Hoang Phuong Thao, ActionAid Vietnam, highlighted the organization’s work with marginalized and remote communities to use smartphones for receiving early warnings, as well as for reporting on local conditions, thereby informing the government’s trend analysis.

Catalina Díaz Escobar, Corporación Antioquia Presente, emphasized that data collection itself is a political process and should be conducted in an ethical and respectful manner.

Innovative Financing and Private Sector Leadership in DRR: Camila Tapias, global board member of ARISE—the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies led by the UNDRR—moderated the session. 

Manisha Gulati, ODI Global, noted that most funding goes toward emergency response after disasters occur. She highlighted that when the private sector invests in critical services, DRR becomes an outcome, not only a target.

Yezid Niño, UNDRR, emphasized the relevance of understanding that DRR is part of the development of countries and pointed toward the role of regulatory frameworks with respect to involving the private sector in DRR financing. Terry Kinyua, Co-Chair, ARISE and Invest in Africa, a not-for-profit alliance of companies, stressed that the resilience of communities amounts to the resilience of a country.

Through digital interaction, participants identified cost-benefit analysis, data gaps, and trust as the major barriers to private sector investment in DRR. Among the actions leaders can take to accelerate investment in resilience, participants mentioned political incentives, regulatory alignment, resilience as a national priority, and the involvement of local leaders.

From Paris to Sendai—The Fundamental Connection of Climate and DRR: Jamie Cummings, UNDRR-SEM, moderated the session.

Animesh Kumar, UNDRR, underlined that risk is a common denominator across the Sendai Framework, Paris Agreement, and SDGs, stating that all these global frameworks share the goal of resilience. He encouraged the institutionalization of the agreements at the national level and highlighted the need to localize them. On technical assistance, he stressed that funding applications under the Santiago Network, a technical assistance mechanism to support countries in recovering from loss and damage due to climate change, should be designed to catalyze downstream impacts.

Hisan Hassan, National Disaster Management Authority, the Maldives, described his country’s focus on EW4All and slow-onset losses. Manon Robin, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat, discussed integration of national adaptation plans and DRR strategies and, supported by Le-Anne Roper, UNDRR, the need to focus on coordinating actors on different aspects of climate resilience.

Amber Fletcher, University of Regina, stressed that slow-onset disaster management and funding are crucial for food producers, and stressed the significance of non-economic loss and damage.

Implementation of the Climate and DRR Gender Action Plan at National Level—Synergies and Strategies: Mwanahamisi Singano, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), moderated this panel discussion, which unpacked synergies between the different Gender Action Plans (GAPs) under multiple conventions and frameworks, including the Sendai GAP. She noted the need to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure cost effectiveness.

Mary Picard, Humanitarian and Development Consulting, gave a keynote address describing the actions leading to the launch of the Sendai GAP in 2024. Panelists mentioned key lessons from their experiences with governments in implementing the GAPs, including the challenge of competing priorities and political preferences among different ministries when attempting to coordinate the different GAPs. Other interventions focused on holding governments and agencies accountable for implementing GAPs and enhancing communication among women’s networks, particularly those involved in DRR. Following interventions on regional mapping tools and GAP observatories that monitor implementation progress, Singano invited participants to provide inputs towards developing a universal DRR gender equality observatory.

Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction in Urban Areas—Building Back Better: Ladeene Freimuth, The Freimuth Group, moderated the session. Guilherme Simões, National Secretary for Peripheries, Ministry of Cities, Brazil, outlined the Live Peripheries programme, which provides access to better urban infrastructure, social services, and opportunities; and the Peripheries Without Risk strategy, a community-based risk reduction and climate adaptation plan.

Marcie Roth highlighted EWS as one of the best-proven and cost-effective methods for reducing disaster deaths and losses. She drew attention to “Infinite Access,” a communication platform designed to deliver emergency alerts in multiple accessible formats.

Mario Flores, Habitat for Humanity International, discussed the challenges and opportunities of urban environments, stressing the need to: build better in the first place; have risk-informed development; and consider housing as a platform for a people-centered resilience approach.

Debbra Johnson, ARISE-US Network, addressed the newly-released report ‘Navigating the sustainability-resilience nexus,’ that linked the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and the DRR Sendai Framework.

Community-led Action for Resilience, Building Partnerships for Inclusive Action: Maité Rodríguez, Fundación Guatemala, moderated this session featuring grassroot women leaders and related international organizations.

Godavari Dange, Swayam Shikshan Prayog, a women-led organization of farmer-producers, highlighted women’s work in drought preparedness to cultivate and stockpile animal fodder. She also highlighted technology training conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic for women to use online platforms.

Norma Choc Botzoc, Community Practitioners’ Platform for Resilience, Guatemala, described how grassroot women have developed risk and vulnerability assessments, which, she noted, are being used as tools for advocacy to local authorities to direct resources appropriately.

Speakers from ADB and the Centre for Coordination of Disasters in Central America and the Dominican Republic affirmed the central importance of cooperation and co-design of programmes for climate resilience and recovery after disasters.

Breaking the DRR Financing Silos—A Systematic Shift in DRR Financing for Localization of Inclusive Resilience: Camila Tapias moderated this session.

Noting that financial capital existed but is not reaching local levels, Tanjir Hossain, UNDRR-SEM, called for breaking down silos so funding is not “sitting around while millions of people suffer.”

Steven Goldfinch, ADB, described the National Disaster Management Fund of Pakistan that uses government loans from the ADB to provide 70% of project costs in a 70%-30% funding model with provincial governments. He said a condition for selection of resilience projects is that they provide high economic return. He also highlighted the National Disaster Risk Management Fund of the Philippines that encourages local governments to invest in prevention and preparedness as well as disaster response, relief, and risk reduction measures.

Emma Haight, UNDRR Investor Advisory Board, described the adoption of a green sewer design, first developed in Washington DC, which proved so successful that the design was replicated in London, UK, Cape Town, South Africa, and Quito, Ecuador. She highlighted its environmental and financial risk reduction, and over USD 200 million in cost savings.

Michelle Chivunga, Global Policy House, discussed using artificial intelligence (AI) to shift DRR responses, optimize data utilization in local governments, track and mobilize funding, and use digital capital during humanitarian crises to make up for funding shortfalls.

Sara Hoeflich de Duque, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), recommended investment in basic services, such as water supply, street cleaning, and sewer solutions, to ensure clean cities as an investment and risk mitigation measure.

Marcos Concepción Raba, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), discussed effective localization.

Spotlight Session—Early Warning for All: On Tuesday, the Stakeholder Forum resumed its discussions, beginning with a briefing from the EW4All Multistakeholder Forum, which was held in parallel.

Moderator Rebecca Murphy, GNDR, invited the UNDRR Stakeholder Forum and the EW4All Multistakeholder Forum communities to combine their efforts.

In the keynote address, Gavin White, Risk-informed Early Action Partnership, summarized common themes in early warnings, noting that: preparing for disasters is about inclusiveness, honest communication, and trusting the person who is providing the guidance; and how EWS can act as a bridge overcoming the silo approaches among different DRR stakeholders. Panelists suggested that: while no system can predict with 100% certainty what shape hazards will take, it is crucial to build trust and understand local contexts; response planners should establish appropriate actions to follow early warnings; emergency systems must be tailored to communities’ experiences so people can distinguish between different disasters and respond uniquely to each threat; both elderly and youth can inform EWS and response planning; and conflict zones require unique solutions that consider the fragility and power dynamics within communities.

Bridging the Gap—Critical Media’s Role in Strengthening Alerts and Enhancing Disaster Preparedness: Giacomo Mazzone, Media Saving Lives, moderated the session. Matthieu Rawolle, European Broadcasting Union Media Intelligence Service, shared examples of how terrestrial radio networks remained uninterrupted and accessible during disasters, and are used to inform the public and facilitate emergency response, especially when mobile phone and internet services are interrupted. He concluded that radio is an essential communication medium in times of crisis and requires investment.

Raditya Jati, Deputy Minister of Systems and Strategy, National Disaster Management Authority, Indonesia, emphasized the need for media to go beyond reporting on casualties and the destruction of housing, and to incorporate education for people to prepare for disasters.

Natalia Ilieva, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, described the Media Saving Lives collaboration between the World Broadcasting Unions and UNDRR that focuses on shifting media perspectives from reactive to proactive reporting, showing the real causes for disasters and instructing people on how to avoid harm. Grégoire Ndjaka, African Broadcasting Union (ABU), highlighted the reach of radio in Africa extending to places without electricity supply. Orengiye Fyneface, ABU, discussed trust challenges with journalism as a disaster information source in Africa, pointing to bureaucratic hurdles that prevent journalists from reaching scientists.

Shaping a Sustainable Tomorrow—Aligning the Sendai Midterm Review with The Pact for the Future: Abraham Bugre, University of Regina, moderated this session. In her opening remarks, Toni-Shae Freckleton, UNDRR, called for transitioning from short-term responses to long-term prevention. She stated that the Pact for the Future embeds DRR and resilience building. 

Juan Carlos Uribe Vega, UCLG, highlighted gaps in understanding localization and the importance of local-level governance. Jekulin Lipi Saikia, GNDR, called for a focus on listening to and working with communities, improving financial access, and increasing citizen science. Amber Fletcher emphasized the role of community-driven actions, citizen science, and community engagement in reaching the diverse range of local voices. In the ensuing discussion, participants identified communication disconnection, lack of funding, and localization among the persistent gaps between global networks and local realities.

Closing session: Tanjir Hossain moderated the closing session on Tuesday. Jamie Cummings recalled her own experience with disaster when Hurricane Helene struck her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, in 2024. Describing how volunteers had operated a traditional Appalachian mule brigade to transport life-saving medications to mountain communities after roads were destroyed, she reflected that “communities who know the land most, hold the solutions.” Martin Schuldes, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), stressed that “the substance and spirit” of the conference must translate into concrete action.

Jilhane El Gaouzi, Head, Sustainable Environment Division, African Union Commission, urged all concerned to “be realistic and speed up implementation,” given that only five years remain until the 2030 deadline set in the Sendai Framework to meet its goals and targets.

Global Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Multistakeholder Forum

Opening Session and Stocktake: This two-day event began on Monday. Julien Thöni, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN, said even small investments in early warnings can go a long way, and, when combined with innovation, can better predict disasters and reach people faster. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, WMO, suggested key criteria for improving EWS. She noted that science must connect people, and systems and partnerships must include actors “outside the DRR tent,” especially those most at risk.

Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for DRR and Head of UNDRR, said EWS should not be regarded as a once-off intervention. He said national ownership must be strengthened, and the concept of leaving no one behind should be embedded in all efforts. Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition, via video, suggested EWS is the most basic tool for saving and protecting lives, and called for high-level political support, a boost in technology access, and public and private finance at scale.

Addressing the state of EWS, Johan Stander, Director of Services, WMO, drew attention to national ownership, stakeholder engagement, and the involvement of funding partners when investing in EW4All. Sujit Kumar Mohanty, Chief of Branch, UNDRR, emphasized co-design and co-ownership approaches to meaningfully engage stakeholders for successful EW4All.

Interventions during a panel discussion on good practices and stakeholder perspectives on EWS addressed: calls to integrate women and youth in all decisions focused on EWS; investing in women’s leadership, particularly those with disabilities; ensuring young people are equitably involved; reaching those living in remote rural areas and conflict zones; and leveraging the communication power of mobile networks through private-public partnerships.

During a panel discussion on perspectives on EWS from across regions, panelists focused on: successful collaboration and EWS progress in Zimbabwe after Cyclone Idai in 2019; institutionalization of the community-based approach to EWS in Barbados; challenges to integrate scientific tools and remote sensing into EWS in Lebanon; integration of the private sector in EWS decision-making processes in the Philippines; and the role of cross-border cooperation, knowledge sharing, and educating people for effective EWS in Poland.

Thematic Session—Empowering Communities: People-Centered and User-Tailored Approaches for Early Warnings and Early/Anticipatory Action: In a keynote address on Monday, Elizabeth Riley, Executive Director, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), described the diverse contexts among CDEMA communities. She noted that: early warning and anticipatory action are mutually reinforcing; working with local communities requires not only building trust but maintaining it; and decision making should make use of behavioral science to reach desired outcomes.

On how to strengthen people-centered and inclusive EWS, panelists mentioned: providing widely accessible information to vision-impaired people; recognizing that Indigenous EWS do exist and should be solicited to ensure community ownership; taking into account the role of communities in avoiding disasters, particularly in urban settings—for example, in landslides caused by leaking pipes; and reaching “the last mile” of remote communities with early warnings. Via video, displaced community members in Kisumu County, Kenya, described their challenges related to flooding, and the difficulty of finding funds to restore their ancestral lands. They emphasized the need to address complacency among communities and establish effective EWS.

Other thematic sessions took place during the two-day EW4All Multistakeholder Forum on: multi-hazard EWS (MHEWS) in fragile and conflict settings; governance models to support MHEWS; innovation through science, technology, and local knowledge; international, regional, and national cooperation and partnerships; and scaling and sustaining investments in MHEWS.

Closing Session: On Tuesday, the EW4All Multistakeholder Forum concluded its discussions. Gavin White, Risk-informed Early Action Partnership, moderated the session. Panelists highlighted the importance of focusing on preparedness and developing trust, the need to shift perspectives toward a systemic approach to EWS, and the need to increase private funding.

In closing remarks, Andrea Hermenejildo, Deputy Secretary General, Risk Management, Ecuador, stressed EWS is not only a technical issue, but also involves social justice. Paola Albrito, Director, UNDRR, emphasized that EW4All is both needed and achievable. Noting the central role of local communities, she underlined that resilience is built within communities.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union, underlined that scaling-up EWS requires partnerships and breaking silos across economic sectors, UN agencies, and industries.

Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), stressed that inclusive action and investment in EW4All are essential.

Saulo stated that having EWS in just 108 countries is neither sufficient nor acceptable, and called for closing this “justice gap” by providing EWS worldwide and accelerating the transformation needed to protect every person on Earth.

World Resilient Recovery Conference

At the start of this one-day conference on Tuesday, Kishore explained to participants that the event, previously known as the World Reconstruction Conference, is now the World Resilient Recovery Conference. This, he said, was to shift the focus from the physical assets to the resilience dimension of recovery, ensuring that “what we do after disasters actually facilitates human flourishing.” While acknowledging that governments are under tremendous pressure to quickly rebuild houses and roads, he cautioned against “the tyranny of rush” that may result in poorer quality infrastructure being built. Instead, he urged clear thinking about desired institutional arrangements, consideration of financing arrangements to address small and medium-scale disasters, and “building back greener.” He encouraged paying greater attention to the social and economic aspects of recovery, suggesting that disasters are also opportunities for new directions away from livelihoods that are no longer viable.

In opening remarks, Mutale Nalumango, Vice-President, Zambia, highlighted Zambia’s promotion of climate-resilient agriculture through drought-tolerant crop varieties, access to weather-based insurance, and advisories to farmers.

Plenary 1: Taking Stock of Current Recovery Practices: Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Director, Santiago Network Secretariat, moderated the session.

Sujit Mohanty, Chief of Branch, UNDRR, noted the high costs of reconstruction and the difficulties of countries that are perpetually in a state of recovery from one disaster after another, pointing to the need to address institutional fragmentation.

Renato Umali Solidum Jr., Secretary of Science and Technology, the Philippines, advocated for greater cohesion between DRR and climate action as being “two sides of the same coin.” He called for transparent grant-based governance to reach at-risk communities and address both slow-onset and sudden disasters.

Leon Lundy, State Minister for Disaster Risk Management, The Bahamas, highlighted the launch of The Bahamas’ National Disaster Risk Management Authority. He drew attention to the Disaster Management 2022 Act, which mandates continuity plans, restoration timelines, and staff redeployment protocols to ensure essential services can be maintained or rapidly restored after a disaster.

Krishna Swaroop Vatsa, National Disaster Management Authority, India, highlighted allocation of 30% of the Authority’s funds for recovery and reconstruction, which are released through an assessment-based process.

Fuentes Castellanos offered countries the Secretariat’s support for structuring technical assistance requests.

Thematic Sessions: Restoring Livelihood: Solutions for Disaster-Induced Displacement and Resilient Recovery: On Tuesday, Mona Folkesson, UN Development Coordination Office, moderated the session.

Emad Adly, Arab Network for Environment and Development, highlighted water scarcity as a significant issue for the region and local-level coordination as a key challenge. Alexandra Bilak, IDMC, cited the experience from the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal to show how livelihood erosion influences the severity of displacement.

Ibrahim Osman Farah, Vice President, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia, described livelihood restoration during the return and resettlement of internally displaced persons, through ensuring cultural access to land, water, schools, and income-generating opportunities as long-term resilience-based approaches.

Tasneem Siddiqui, University of Dhaka, recounted how students were a driving force for the university’s Refugee and Migration Research Unit, which has formed many local adaptation committees and supports the implementation of national policies on livelihood diversification and skills training. She urged treating displacement not as a humanitarian issue, but as a human rights one.

Aslam Perwaiz, Executive Director, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, emphasized skills development with local communities and small and medium enterprises to create livelihood options for displaced communities.

Driving Resilience: The Critical Role of the Private Sector’s Operational Readiness for Resilient Recovery: Moderator Cedrick Moriggi, Corporate Chief Resilience Officer Network, called for connecting the corporate world with the UNDRR world. Ommid Saberi, International Finance Corporation, recommended investing in the “economics of families,” or small businesses, saying even small government incentives can mobilize large funds from the private sector.

Dorothee Baumann-Pauly, University of Geneva, said human rights are enablers of resilience. Jonathan Rake, Swiss Re Solutions, highlighted the need for the private sector to engage locally and develop and combine social programmes with parametric solutions. Chris Hulatt, Octopus, said upfront investment to boost resilience is the right move, but observed that few asset managers remain in place for the whole duration of an investment.

Kerry Hinds, Department of Emergency Management, Barbados, described an audit tool to ascertain risks and priorities for public-private partnerships, noting the tool helps standardize and trigger business continuity protocols for disaster risk management.

Turning Experience into Action: Learning from Large-Scale Disasters: Dilanthi Amaratunga, Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System, moderated the session.

Banak Joshua Dei Wal, South Sudan’s DRR Focal Point, highlighted the need to work together and identify risks for Sendai Framework implementation to be effective. Saini Yang, Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), emphasized that China’s National Flood Prevention System has proven effective, with more than an 80% decrease in flood mortality rates over the last 20 years. Trevor Bhupsingh, Public Safety Canada, highlighted Canada’s Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements.

Guy Gryspeert, Honeywell, defined resilience as the capability to prevent a crisis by having awareness and planning in place. Ali Hamza Pehlivan, Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, Türkiye, highlighted the usefulness of their National Disaster Response Plan during the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake. Makiko Ohashi, Director, International Cooperation Disaster Management Bureau, Cabinet Office of Japan, noted the usefulness of planning on the assumption that a mega-disaster may occur at any time and of reviewing DDR plans in the aftermath of disasters.

Three other thematic sessions took place during the World Resilient Recovery Conference on governance mechanisms for resilient recovery, scalable financial solutions for resilient recovery, and housing reconstruction and critical infrastructure readiness.

Plenary 2: From Commitment to Action: Leadership for Resilient Recovery: Shivangi Chavda, GNDR, moderated the session on Tuesday afternoon.

Guangzhe Chen, World Bank, described the World Bank’s recent transition to supporting infrastructure resilience efforts. He invited countries to access the Bank’s Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit to strengthen their disaster reduction policies, citing recent examples from Malawi, Albania, and Madagascar.

On financial instruments, panelists explored ways to distribute more rapid financial support, including through multi-dimensional approaches. On displacement following disasters, Rania Sharshr, International Organization for Migration (IOM), emphasized that one of the greatest needs of governments is access to reliable and accurate data on how displaced people have been impacted, and guidance on how to integrate these people into existing communities. The session concluded with the presentation by Abhilash Panda, UNDRR, on the development of a resilient recovery framework. 

Official Programme of the Global Platform 2025

Opening Ceremony

On Tuesday afternoon, Kishore opened the official programme of the eighth Global Platform for DRR, emphasizing the exceptional urgency and importance of delivering on the Sendai Framework. He underscored how communities are coming together and the need to learn from their initiatives, imagination, and resourcefulness, and called for commitment from all actors.

Recalling the recent loss of the Swiss village Blatten to a glacier landslide, Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, commented that “early warning saves lives but cannot save glaciers from disappearing.” She stressed that disasters and their cascading effects annually cost up to USD 3.2 trillion and noted that record-breaking disasters make entire regions uninsurable. She called for: risk-informed development across all sectors; scaled-up public and private investments in resilience; and national financial frameworks that align with adaptation needs.

Ignazio Cassis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, observed that, “Risk today is everywhere. Fires are where wetlands were centuries ago.” Noting the 2030 deadline for implementation of the Sendai Framework, he urged countries to deliver on their commitments, apply science, and adopt risk mitigation metrics to mobilize and facilitate resources.

After a musical performance on the Hang drum and a choreographed presentation by Sendai4Youth, Patricia Danzi, SDC, opened the Global Platform 2025.

Dialogue Among National Platforms for DRR

Ahead of the opening ceremony on Tuesday, regional and national DRR representatives convened a ‘Dialogue Among National Platforms for DRR: Enhancing DRR governance by 2030.’

At this high-level event, Kishore observed that the risk landscape platform is becoming increasingly complex. He recommended: strengthening national DRR platforms and embedding risk reduction into national policies and frameworks; ensuring sustainable and predictable finance with policies matching sustainable long-term plans; and having a common risk assessment framework to support national entities with proper data and analytics.

Speaking on behalf of the host country, Franziska Schmid, Swiss National Platform for Natural Hazards (PLANAT), described the work of PLANAT and highlighted challenges, including overlapping reporting mechanisms and strategies among national government entities focused on resilience. She stressed the importance of addressing duplication of efforts, developing appropriate tools, such as hazard maps and building permits, and ensuring crisis management provisions are functional.

Discussions then followed in a roundtable format, moderated by Paola Albrito, Director, UNDRR. She invited delegates to: describe the demonstrated impact of their national platforms for DRR, share lessons learned, identify remaining gaps in DRR governance, and highlight ways and opportunities to boost Sendai Framework implementation by 2030.

In their interventions, many called for collaboration among regional and country partners. Speakers included the Deputy Prime Ministers of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tajikistan, as well as many ministers and high-level government representatives. They emphasized: enhancing preparedness through strengthening and modernizing approaches; improving planning and promoting concrete analyses from real-life situations at the grassroots level; and mobilizing adequate financing and developing technical expertise to adequately prepare communities.

High-Level Dialogues

Harnessing Risk Understanding for a Safer Future: Are We Keeping Up? Haya Al-Kubati, Regional DRR Focal Point for Arab States, Major Group for Children and Youth, moderated this session on Wednesday.

In his keynote address, Surangel Samuel Whipps Jr., President of Palau, said disasters are becoming more frequent and intense. Warning that risks are growing faster than the capacity to address them, he called for relevant metrics and a shift from one-off projects to long-term resilience building.

Leon Lundy, State Minister for Disaster Risk Management, The Bahamas, cautioned against focusing only on numbers when talking about disaster impacts, as they do not capture the ongoing impacts on people’s health, livelihoods, and infrastructure.

Raditya Jati, Deputy Minister of Systems and Strategy, National Disaster Management Authority, Indonesia, described Indonesia’s open data risk platform, saying sustainable resilience should take a people-centered approach, and should bridge national and local divides to ensure open communication.

Dmitry Mariyasin, Deputy Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe, mentioned a common statistical framework under development with UNDRR that will develop standards for disaster-related data and statistics, ensuring data integration across sectors.

Najla Bouden, Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG), Tunisia, called for better data governance, making scientific data available, and co-creating decentralized practices for risk reduction with local communities.

Nadia Rehman, Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives, Pakistan, via video, said digital data governance should be the bedrock of a disaster risk management framework, and recommended that countries use legal instruments, such as the water-sharing agreement Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan, to enable data sharing across borders.

Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance for Transformative Action and Outcomes: Achim Steiner, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), via video message, urged all to harmonize DRR with adaptation to climate change to address risk.

Regarding good practices in national risk prevention, Valder Ribeiro de Moura, Vice-Minister, Integration and Regional Development, Brazil, highlighted Brazil’s investment in prevention and inclusion, and coordination among all levels, sectors, and actors. Niels Annen, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany, suggested increasing dialogue with insurance companies as a way donors and the international community can better support resilience building. Rhonda Robinson, Pacific Community, spoke about the integration of DRR and climate change agendas in the Pacific region, noting it requires continued coherence and coordination.

Ahmed Amdihun, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Kenya, described the integrated approach used in the Horn of Africa to address drought. He stressed that bold decisions made a difference and warned that conflicts and insecurity can rapidly undo years of progress. Ghada Ahmedin, GNDR, Egypt, emphasized how the conflicts in the region are affecting DRR, development planning, and increasing displacement. She highlighted the role of civil society in leading localized actions, amplifying community voices, facilitating dialogue, and providing informal education on DRR.

What Will It Take to Scale DRR Financing Solutions at the National and Local Level? Mayowa Adegoke, international journalist, moderated this session on Thursday.

Stine Renate Håheim, State Secretary to Minister of International Development, Norway, emphasized DRR financing as a high priority, saying, “it is better to prevent than repair afterwards.” She noted that one in three people globally—mostly in cities or highly vulnerable areas—are not covered by EWS. 

Hans Sy, CEO, SM Prime Holdings, explained his company’s investment in resilient building construction, such as building over concrete pillars to enable the free flow of floodwaters. He stressed that risk-informed decisions, based on science and technology, make good business sense. 

Fatima Yasmin, ADB, said the Bank regards DRR as a critical priority investment, particularly through supporting policy making, planning, advising on innovative investments, and incentivizing preparedness. On scaling DRR investments, she said financing should be fast, flexible, and forward-looking. 

Rob Wesseling, CEO, Co-operators Group, said no path to net zero emissions is possible without investment in both prevention and recovery. He encouraged governments to utilize the risk information gathered by insurance companies over decades to assist with decision making.

On mobilizing private sector investment, Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South Africa, stressed that every cent invested in resilience and preparedness saves lives and livelihoods. 

Advancing Multi-hazard Early Warning and Early and Anticipatory Action: User-centered Design for a Resilient Future: On Friday, Anita Erskine, Executive Director, Erskine Global Communications, moderated this dialogue.

Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General, stressed the need to enhance data sharing and ownership, as well as improve institutional arrangements and sustained financing mechanisms regarding MHEWS globally. She encouraged developing impact-based forecast systems. Kishore pointed out the need to make information available in an understandable, actionable, and usable manner.

In a keynote, Margareta Wahlström, former UN Assistant Secretary-General for DRR, highlighted “for most of us, MHEWS is about saving lives.” Noting mortality numbers remain high, she warned that progress is not being made quick enough.

Panelists representing the World Farmers’ Organisation, Zurich Insurance, Vanuatu ActionAid, Saint Kitts and Nevis Ministry of National Security, and the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, focused on issues related to:

• the lack of comprehensive risk assessments, the need for clear policy and regulatory frameworks that integrate DRR with clear roles and responsibilities, and financing examples such as catastrophe bonds, government-based guarantees, and tax incentives for investment in MHEWS;
• strengthening government ownership and humanitarian budget allocated to anticipatory actions;
• the role of the insurance sector in catalyzing risk prevention insurance as commercially viable;
• user-centered design for actionable and accessible information and MHEWS for empowering farmers; and
• the need for tailored EWS considering communities’ knowledge and the role of women in communicating information across all community members.

Ministerial Roundtables

Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction: Patricia Danzi, SDC, and Kamal Kishore, UNDRR, moderated this event on Wednesday, which convened 43 ministers and the African Union, along with representatives from the World Bank, UNDP, and the private sector.

Many countries recognized the financing deficit for preparedness and sought to reframe disaster risk financing not as an expense but as an investment. Many also emphasized the importance of regional partnerships, frameworks, and roadmaps as well as the parallel efforts by the G20 Dialogue on DRR, and the need to enable local development of DRR frameworks.

The Philippines, South Sudan, Fiji, Barbados, the African Union, China, Slovenia, Norway, Germany, Chile, Czechia, Nepal, Brazil, Sweden, Ecuador, Canada, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Sudan, Serbia, Zambia, Saudi Arabia, and the UK drew links between financial planning to manage disaster risk, and financing for climate change and other environmental crises, with some mentioning the Adaptation Fund, Green Climate Fund, and FRLD as relevant sources. The World Bank highlighted its City Resilience Program, which provides technical and financial resources to 196 cities.

On innovative financial tools, many countries described insurance strategies. Thailand discussed property insurance. China described agricultural insurance and its investment of USD 154 billion in property insurance. Kiribati mentioned its community-based insurance for drought programme with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, which provides payouts to farmers and fishers. Norway highlighted parametric insurance schemes. The Bahamas discussed its disaster-related expenditures tracking tool that maps pre-disaster investments and post-disaster costs.

In terms of financial policies, India highlighted the need for a pre-determined, rule-based allocation of funds to enable financing flows from national to district levels, with dedicated financial windows for different community needs. Japan and Norway highlighted mainstreaming DRR in the private sector, with Norway encouraging legal frameworks to require businesses to incorporate DRR measures and the integration of DRR into corporate social responsibility strategies. UNDP highlighted its resilience training with ministries of finance. Brazil, as President of UNFCCC COP-30, called on countries to join a global task force for effective finance and to support a global fund for tropical forest conservation for more resilient global governance.

Some countries flagged social aspects of investment. Cambodia highlighted their gender-responsive approach. Paraguay described reinforcing social protection programmes for the elderly. Montenegro highlighted the importance of health and cultural resilience. Jordan advocated for integrating finance for prevention into social programmes. Czechia advocated for DRR funding to be integrated across the humanitarian-development nexus. Brazil underscored that BRICS countries recognized the negative social impacts of disasters, such as poverty, and social injustice in the 2024 BRICS Summit Kazan Declaration.

Kishore called on countries to develop comprehensive financial strategies that are underpinned by good regulation, based on evidence, and systematically tracking where the money is going.

Safe Schools Now: Protecting Every Child from Disaster and Climate Risk: On Thursday, Paul Steffen, Deputy Director, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, and Kishore, UNDRR, co-chaired this event, which convened 40 ministries, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Holy See, and the ADB.

In opening remarks, Kishore encouraged delegates to make schools heat-resilient and to endorse the Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF) 2017, noting only 80 countries have done so. 

On school safety policies, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Saint Lucia recognized the CSSF. Portugal highlighted its DRR working group on children and youth. Brunei Darussalam, Kenya, and Portugal recognized the fundamental rights of children to safe school environments. Colombia highlighted its Law on Teaching for Sustainability, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management. The Republic of Korea described its 2020 Child Safety Management Act. 

Many countries identified education programming as fundamental to reducing risk and developing children as agents of change in their homes and communities. Malaysia, Uganda, the Russian Federation, Algeria, Panama, the United Arab Emirates, Somalia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, and others described homegrown examples, such as student leadership groups and First Aid skills training, child-centered preparedness teacher training, experiential learning, an interactive teaching package for elementary schools, and community-based disaster risk management. Comoros highlighted their Masters programme in Catastrophe Management. The European Commission discussed linking DRR to the EU Solidarity Corps and Erasmus+.

Several countries, including Greece, Kenya, and Cuba, recognized the importance of social support to children experiencing disaster and loss, and the ensuing mental and emotional health impacts. The Holy See flagged the need for spiritual care of those “who have seen whole lives swept away” and drew attention to education for environmental stewardship.

Most countries discussed sustainable and resilient school infrastructure, including standards for new or retrofitted buildings. Belgium, Moldova, and Singapore highlighted energy efficiency and climate resilience. On heat stress in schools, Singapore flagged cooling strategies and energy-efficient fans. Tunisia described its sustainable school network that integrates climate change, disaster risk, and biodiversity objectives. Spain said new schools need to be “climate shelters.” Bangladesh noted the construction of more than 5,000 cyclone-resistant schools. Türkiye highlighted that after the 2023 earthquake, only 60 school buildings were damaged, reflecting the value of schools having resilient infrastructure.

Multistakeholder Plenary

Four sessions of the multistakeholder plenary took place, in which governments, international organizations, private-sector groups, and civil society organizations offered statements.

Regional Progress: Kishore and Danzi co-chaired this session on Wednesday morning, in which delegates described regional level actions toward implementation of the Sendai Framework and its MTR recommendations.

Reporting on the work and outcomes of the Regional Platforms on DRR, Namibia, highlighted the commitment to implement EWS across Africa. The Philippines emphasized the need for integrated governance to manage disaster risk in the Asia-Pacific region. Montenegro stressed the need for Europe and Central Asia to focus on reducing and preventing new risks. Saint Kitts and Nevis highlighted the need to prioritize resilient infrastructure and housing in the Americas and the Caribbean. Kuwait called for unifying efforts across the Arab region and working in a more urgent manner.

Many regional organizations also shared their progress and challenges implementing the Sendai Framework.

Leaving No One Behind—Realizing the Guiding Principles of the Sendai Framework: This extended session ran from Wednesday morning through to the afternoon. Paola Albrito, UNDRR, and Christian Frutiger, SDC, co-chaired the session, in which governments and international organizations presented how they are integrating diverse perspectives in DRR policies and practice in line with the Sendai Framework’s guiding principles.

Ministers from Fiji, Timor-Leste, Finland, Paraguay, and Slovenia, as well as many vice-ministers and other high-level representatives, including from Austria, France, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Tajikistan, Tonga, and Romania, the Pacific Islands Forum and many international organizations took the floor.

Fiji expressed its commitment to including Indigenous knowledge for resilience. Timor-Leste highlighted improvements to the country’s data system to ensure that efforts are informed by “the lived experience of all people.” Thailand reported its training of trainers for community-based disaster risk management.

Finland emphasized its policy of “open data, open science, and open source,” noting, as an example, the installation of the Finnish-developed SmartMet hydro-meteorological system in 30 countries.

Ministers from Paraguay and Slovenia, Romania announced it will host the Regional Platform for DRR for Europe and Central Asia in 2027.

GNDR called for giving attention to fragile states, making some elements of DRR legally binding, and working better with faith-based organizations and their networks of trust.

Delegates also heard testimonies from grassroots champions, including rural women, people with disabilities, and representatives of marginalized communities. Nayyab Ali, Peace and Justice Network, recounted a post-disaster situation for transgender women in Pakistan, who could not access an evacuation shelter because there was no category for them on the admission form. She emphasized “the right to be seen and survive.”

Investments in Reducing Risk and Building Resilience to Accelerate Investments in Sustainable Development: On Thursday, Kishore introduced the session, which was co-chaired by Steffen and Albrito. Kishore noted less than 1% of national budgets is allocated to DRR. 

Countries presented their national commitments, such as Australia’s Disaster-Ready Fund, which is providing up to USD 648 million over five years for locally-identified needs, and Switzerland’s DRR commitment of more than USD 2.5 billion annually. Many countries expressed their appreciation for international support, including for Moldova’s local adaptation plans in 38 communities, and Samoa’s community-based disaster risk management activities. Peru highlighted its introduction of budget flexibility for regional and local authorities, enabling rapid response to imminent hazards. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN reported that only 3% of all development assistance is allocated to agricultural DRR measures, even while these deliver significant returns in ensuring food security. Swiss Re highlighted the role of insurance in informing risk and mitigation measures, noting the availability of parametric insurance, for example, against extreme heat events and flooding.

The Resilience Action Fund showcased the work of the International Finance Corporation in developing the Building Resilience Index as a world-first metric for assessing the safety and risk of buildings for insurers and construction developers. The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), India, and the UK welcomed innovative initiatives, such as a new center on extreme events, establishment of risk pools, and the use of AI to identify flood threats.  

Delegates affirmed their commitment to regional solidarity. Tunisia mentioned its hosting of the Africa-Arab Platform for DRR in 2023, and Iran its hosting of three regional organizations, including the Regional Center for Urban Water Management. Albania welcomed its responsibilities under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for cooperation among EU countries and other partners, which, he noted, enables access to advanced DRR solutions.  

IOM highlighted its 2024 launch of Climate Mobility Innovation Labs for the Africa and Asia regions.  

Steffen urged all present to accelerate investment in DRR, and to engage the private sector as key partners. 

Harnessing Strategic Foresight and Innovation to Accelerate DRR for Future Generations: On Friday, Frutiger and Kishore co-chaired the fourth and final session of the Multistakeholder Plenary. Several countries drew attention to their increased exposure to hazards such as glacial melt in Nepal and Pakistan, typhoons in the Philippines, and unusually severe winters in Mongolia.

Delegates from Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan highlighted their use of AI-enhanced forecast and analysis tools to support DRR. Ethiopia highlighted its development of an ethical framework for deploying AI, and highlighted significant opportunities to apply AI to accelerate implementation of the Sendai Framework. The UN Office for Project Services mentioned its work in developing risk-informed infrastructure in densely populated areas of Gaza, noting for example, that explosive ordnance can shift after flood events.

South Africa advocated for integrating Indigenous knowledge into strategic foresight, stating that, “Innovation isn’t just about technology; it’s about new ways of thinking and working together.” Nepal also expressed its commitment to incorporating Indigenous knowledge to strengthen community resilience.

The Russian Federation emphasized research as the basis for scenario analysis, its use of large dataset processing tools to provide analytics for decision making, and technology for detecting wildfire threats. Singapore highlighted their necessity, as a small city-state, to plan for multiple scenarios. He highlighted prior investment in desalination technologies to ensure water supply, and its Coastal-Inland Flood Model Project to improve forecasting, recognizing the increased risk of more frequent and intense storms.

The Seychelles expressed appreciation for the EW4All programme, which has enabled a local team to be trained in landslide forecast and mitigation measures, recalling the December 2024 landslide in the Seychelles.

The International Telecommunications Union highlighted its work of disseminating warnings, and called for investment in cell broadcasting to enable sending mass alerts to people’s phones, and applying universal standards.

Many statements emphasized the co-creation of solutions with communities, including the young, and radically expanding participation not just by decision makers but especially from communities most at risk. Habitat for Humanity International said that safe, affordable housing and risk centers should be central and require significant investment. The UN Economic Commission for Europe described interventions with countries to accurately project population dynamics, develop strategy foresight, stress test transportations systems, and provide scenario support for strategic planning and distributing solutions. UCLG urged prioritizing engagement with local and regional leaders as first responders.

The Disaster Competence Network flagged that facilities and equipment need to keep up with modern technologies. Multiple organizations and private companies described their efforts related to: AI technology development, including in the area of AI-enabled EWS for flooding, wildfires, and displacement; education and training platforms, especially in schools and with youth; investing in safe and resilient schools with clear guidelines on practical tools; and investing in DRR curricula, including training to teachers.

Special Sessions

Two special sessions took place on Thursday and Friday.

Comprehensive Approaches to Reduce Loss and Damage—Bridging Climate Action and DRR: Fatou Jeng, Former Youth Climate Advisor to the UN Secretary-General and Member of the EW4All Advisory Panel, moderated this special session on Thursday.

Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Environment, Meteorology, Geo- Hazards, and Disaster Management, Vanuatu, appreciated the support from the FRLD and the Santiago Network, which combined forces to launch an inaugural integrated loss and damage and DRR initiative in Vanuatu. 

Kishore noted that, while many DRR practices are now in place, these need to be updated to deal with climate system changes and associated risks, uncertainty, and volatility. 

Benoît Faraco, Ambassador, Climate Negotiations for Decarbonized Energies and for the Prevention of Climate Risks, France, argued that the distinction between loss and damage and DRR is theoretical, and remains irrelevant to people on the ground who want prevention, response, action, and solidarity to alleviate their situation. 

Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, Executive Director, FRLD, emphasized the need to look at how interventions can be most impactful, stressing that solutions must be country-led, and recognize Indigenous groups and civil society participants. He expressed awareness that the FRLD must be “nimble, accessible, flexible and built on partnerships, always ensuring no one is left behind.” 

Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Santiago Network, elaborated on how the Network is supporting countries to accelerate loss and damage, using Vanuatu’s experience to demonstrate how it can accelerate fund distribution and provide bold and transformative support. 

Jagan Chapagain, IFRC, cautioned that the terms loss and damage represent different meanings, but the bottom line is to ensure the funds really reach the local level. 

Progress on Implementing the Gender Action Plan for the Sendai Framework: Maureen Fordham, University College London, moderated this Friday special session aimed at addressing progress on implementation of the Sendai Framework GAP, launched in March 2024. In his opening remarks, Kishore stressed that any investment in reducing risk must also be an investment in gender equality. Richard Nzambimana, Directorate General of Civil Protection and Disaster Management, Burundi, said that local capacity building, community engagement, and collaboration are fundamental for effective disaggregated data reporting.

Takena Redfern, Director, National Disaster Management Office, Kiribati, spoke about their joint climate change and DRR implementation plan, noting work conducted with stakeholders and partners to build trust among national, subnational, and community levels. She highlighted a recently established gender and DRR working group.

Goundo Sissoko, President, Women’s Network for Environmental Rights in Mali, highlighted that women’s integration is a strategic imperative for building sustainable resilience. She discussed the transformation and empowerment of women from mere victims to essential actors in disaster risk adaptation and governance.

Nayyab Ali, Peace and Justice Network, Pakistan, explained the process toward official recognition of transgender people as a distinct vulnerable group in Pakistan’s 2024 updated national recovery guidelines, enabling them to gain access to social protection,

During the special session, among other successful initiatives that integrate gender into disaster information systems, Saskia Carusi, UNDRR Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, spoke about the Gender Observatory and Local Governance in DRR in Medellín, Colombia, noting that similar projects are being developed in Uruguay and Chile.

Thematic Sessions

Fifteen thematic sessions on aspects of implementation of the Sendai Framework took place on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, covering issues relating to finance, localization, regulatory frameworks, data, technologies, awareness, and nature resilience, among others. Six of the thematic sessions are reported here.

Understanding Systemic Risk in the Age of Polycrises: Moderator Manal Bernoussi, Leaders on Purpose, opened the session on Wednesday. Brendan Moon, National Emergency Management Authority, Australia, described Australia’s multistakeholder coordination mechanism for considering sectoral impacts, responsibility, and communication.

Carlos Picado Rojas, National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Response (CNE), Costa Rica, called for greater attention to assessing future vulnerability and the anticipated burden to the economy.

Ahmed Burqibah, Director, Dubai Resilience Centre, described strategic drills conducted to assess the preparedness of electricity, health care centers, and transport under different hazard scenarios. Sripana Sil, Green, Resilient, Risk-Informed Development (GRRID) Corps, participating virtually, advised blending Indigenous insights with science. Ruth Richardson, Accelerator for Systemic Risk Assessment, described the Facing Global Risks with Honest Hope project that acknowledges the severity of challenges alongside opportunities for innovation.

Katherine Sotomayor, Regional Focal Point for Latin America and the Caribbean Sendai Stakeholders Youth Group, Major Group for Children and Youth, advised including youth in strategy and implementation, saying they are already working with a systemic lens.

Mirianna Budimir, Practical Action, noted the need to move beyond natural hazard risks to include social risks such as health and food security. Jeff Schlegelmilch, Columbia University, recommended addressing how to optimize the use of disaster expertise during crisis, observing that politics can interfere with the operationalization of science, as had occurred during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Infrastructure for a Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Future: On Wednesday, Kit Miyamoto, CEO, Miyamoto International, Japan, moderated the session. Corneliu Cirimpei, State Secretary, Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Moldova, described how Moldova had sparked the rise of small alternative energy producers by fixing the price at which government would buy the energy. He emphasized the central importance of creating a legal framework to enable predictability and government provision for affordable energy in poor rural areas. Alicia Cebrian López, National Director, National Disaster Prevention and Response Service, Chile, and Bako Nirina Rabevohitra, Executive Secretary, Emergency Prevention and Management Unit, Prime Minister’s Office, Madagascar, offered further perspectives on regulation.

In response to questions about corruption and organizational culture, speakers emphasized the need to strengthen governance, create space for capacity building with stakeholders, develop transparent legal frameworks, and use the democratic system to advocate for people’s needs to political representatives.

Sinéad Burke, CEO, Tilting the Lens, said universal accessibility is a non-negotiable criterion and called for developing a global toolkit and international standards to better understand what disability is. Alicia Montalvo, Climate Action and Positive Biodiversity Manager, CAF, drew attention to incentives for collaboration. Amit Prothi, Director General, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, noted the lack of regulation for new industries as an opportunity. Chris Hullat, Octopus, highlighted the crucial role of raising awareness about the importance of resilience. In response to ways to better involve the private sector, speakers pointed to improving financial risk and regulation, and promoting innovative, inclusive, and nature-based solutions (NbS).

Catalyzing Governance Solutions for Disaster and Climate-Related Displacement: Irwin Loy, The New Humanitarian, moderated this session on Thursday.

John Mussington, activist and displaced person, Antigua and Barbuda, described his work of founding the community network, Stronger Caribbean Together, with others displaced by “disaster capitalism”, as storm-damaged sites are cleared for tourism development.  

Sakiasi Ditoka, Minister of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Fiji, highlighted the 2023 Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility and Fiji’s own planned relocation guidelines.  

Zahra Abdi Mohamed, Director-General, National Center for Rural Development and Durable Solutions, Somalia, described Somalia’s National Transformation Plan that prioritizes anticipatory action and climate-smart livelihoods, responding to the needs of long-term displaced communities. 

Fatimah Zannah Mustapha, community representative, Nigeria, called for centering the voices of local women in decision making by removing barriers, “whether digital, linguistic, or cultural.” Claudinne Ogaldes Cruz, Executive Secretary, National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), Guatemala, noted that many Guatemalan households are women-led and have the knowledge to inform decision making. 

Robert Piper, former UN Secretary-General’s Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement, said line ministries responsible for decisions on land use and building codes—“those who are responsible for dealing with the failure to prevent”—must become deeply involved in the governance of disaster displacement.  

Leveraging Values of Nature for Resilience: Cecilia Aipira, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), moderated this Thursday session addressing the role of NbS in DRR. 

In his keynote, Mohammed-Yahya Lafdal, Director General, National Environment and Coastal Observatory, Mauritania, highlighted the increase in tree cover through reforestation and restoration, taking into account Indigenous knowledge and solutions, and the development of barrier systems for water distribution and management in desert areas. He emphasized how addressing land degradation and rehabilitation has been Mauritania’s best solution for increasing resilience. 

Rodrigo Hernández Escobar, Indigenous Knowledge and DRR Network, highlighted political will and respect for Indigenous cosmovision and territories as key for leveraging traditional knowledge into programmes supporting NbS for DRR. Isaac Luwaga Mugumbule, Head of Landscaping, Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda, stated that NbS are context-specific and require community involvement to be sustained. 

Satoru Nishikawa, Japan International Cooperation Agency, stressed the need for scientific quantification, numerical analysis, and testing on the strengths and durability of NbS. Swenja Surminski, London School of Economics, while noting that NbS “are not silver bullets,” nevertheless stressed the need to work with nature, drawing attention to NbS co-benefits. Oliver Schelske, Swiss Re Institute, noting the absence of standardized values for nature, emphasized that even if “not everything is insurable,” investing in nature makes sense from an insurance perspective, as it reduces risks to the asset being insured. 

On the prerequisites for NbS to be viable, speakers mentioned recognizing co-benefits for people and nature, estimating the number of protected lives, and conducting independent auditing to verify positive impacts.

Accelerating Private Sector Engagement in DRR: Emma Haight, Head of Infrastructure Debt, Fidelity, moderated the event on Friday, underscoring that the private sector seeks quantifiable risks.

Yoshiki Hiruma, Development Bank of Japan (DJB), described DJB’s approach towards pre-disaster finance and outlined several focal areas: DRR ratings; blended finance; an all-hazard approach to include cyber security, pandemics, and geo-economics; and training local banks to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Petipha Lewis, Chair, Network of Caribbean Chambers (CARICHAM), described how the network is creating enabling conditions for risk-informed enterprise planning. She said CARICHAM: acts as a center of excellence to empower SMEs to prepare and rebound; adopts norms; hosts webinars and conferences; advocates for policy changes for DRR financing and infrastructure; and facilitates public-private collaborations with disaster management agencies.

Terry Kinyua, Co-Chair, ARISE, called DRR “a market imperative” and described shifts in the regional business ecosystem. She emphasized there is a greater appreciation of small players upon which resilience depends. Public-private partnerships are very important for championing this work, she said.

Laurent Giezendanner, Head of Corporate Security and Legal Transformation, Syngenta Group, described integrating disaster and climate risk into the supply chain through operation protection, value chain management, and systemic risk management. He highlighted the need for standardized ways to measure resilience. He noted the importance of logistics to improve the stability of supply, and discussed digital communication with farmers, resilient crop design, and public-private data sharing.

Accelerating Progress for Building Back Better: On Friday, Ronald Jackson, Head of Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery, UNDP, moderated the session, and Sebastian Vergara, Undersecretary, Ministry of National Assets, Chile, presented the keynote. Vergara highlighted the need for reconstruction processes to inform longer-term planning and stressed the value of multisectoral responses to support a systemic approach.

Nadia Adrião, Post-Cyclone Reconstruction Cabinet, Mozambique, said recovery must be supported by clear institutional frameworks, dedicated funds, and strong community engagement mechanisms.

Michelle Forbes, Deputy Director, National Emergency Management Organisation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Emily Wilkinson, ODI Global, noted the importance of housing in recovery efforts and the private sector’s role.

Krishna Vatsa, National Disaster Management Authority, India, emphasized the need for governments to have pre-determined sources of financing and recovery in advance, so that resources for recovery can be quickly provided after a disaster. He noted project management units are often dismantled after the recovery programme ends, meaning that the technical capacities created do not transmit to future recovery programmes.

On what institutional responses are necessary, Adrião highlighted the need to move from temporary to permanent structures, such as a national coordination mechanism. She recommended aligning national government, donors, and partners’ rules regarding procurement, so that recovery funds can be deployed more quickly. Forbes concurred, noting that the post-disaster project management structure created in her country has become a permanent part of the Ministry of Planning. Vatsa highlighted India’s 2024 amendments to its National Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, which provides a funding window for recovery efforts, enabling state governments to access recovery funds based on loss and damage assessments.

Participants raised questions about how to ensure multistakeholder collaboration, access funding for DRR, and promote adherence to new building standards. In relation to SIDS, Wilkinson highlighted ways to avoid competition among agencies for scarce funds by pooling post-disaster recovery funds, for example, in a sovereign wealth fund. Forbes noted that adherence to building codes requires “constant policing” by local government and that local tradespersons also should be informed of the changes needed for compliance. Adrião recommended involving local communities in projects, strengthening coordination, and institutionalizing data collection. Vatsa stressed the need for programme-wide monitoring, coordination, and a collegial manner of collaboration.

Special Events

Senior leaders convened at a special event on each day of the official programme of the Global Platform to discuss DRR-related issues for Africa and SIDS, and the management of extreme heat.

Investing in Resilience for Africa: Tools, Strategies and Partnerships: International news correspondent Mayowa Adegoke moderated this special event on Africa on Wednesday.

Vice-President Mutale Nalumango, Zambia, in a keynote, reported that the African continent is warming faster than the global average, with extreme weather putting billions of people and livestock at risk. Among impacts from past and future disasters, she noted loss of life, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, and human displacement. She stated that resilient infrastructure can only be achieved through compliance with robust standards built on continuous learning and principles of shared responsibility and social engagement.

Moses Vilataki, Africa Union Commission, said the greatest challenge is finding the investment needed for resilience planning, as well as undertaking upgrades to infrastructure.

Panelists from Ghana and Kenya shared experiences from their countries, stating that future-proofing roads, ports, water, and other infrastructure is imperative. They proposed screening public investment proposals for climate risk, resilience co-benefits, and environmental safeguards, and ensuring the bankability of climate resilience projects.

On financial investments, panelists highlighted: the existence of multiple opportunities to implement innovations within Africa, building on global experiences in resilient construction; understanding the infrastructure challenges in African contexts; the sevenfold return on investment for any infrastructure development in Africa; embedding climate and risk resilience principles at every stage of project life; and utilizing the global model of risk to understand the scale of infrastructure risks.

Extreme Heat: Moderator Juli Trtanj, Co-Chair, Gobal Heat Health Information Network, opened this session on Thursday. Saulo called heat a “silent killer” because it is the least managed of all climate hazards. She said although 50% of countries have heat warning systems in place, only 26 have dedicated heat health EWS. Saulo identified three priorities: integrating heat risk into climate and DRR governance, heat health EWS, and implementation using risk information and data.

In his keynote, Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, said heat threatens public health, economic stability, and the ecological resilience of cities and communities. He underscored UNDRR’s Common Framework on Extreme Heat Risk Governance and drew attention to India’s national guidelines on heat wave management, which decentralized more than 250 heat action plans in 23 states. He called for scaling hospital and primary health care preparedness and resilience. He noted India is adopting a long-term heatwave mitigation strategy, including roof-cooling technologies, passive cooling centers, revival of traditional water bodies, and improved thermal comfort and livability of informal settlements. 

In a panel discussion, Benoît Faraco, France, called for humility since we are still discovering impacts and avoiding maladaptation. Ousmane Ndiaye, Director General, African Center for Meteorological Application for Development, stressed the links between heat waves, energy crises, and health care demand. Rosa Galvez, Senator, Canada, spoke about lived experience saying “We cannot adapt forever-–we must work on the causes.” Chapagain said extreme heat is a humanitarian crisis. On involving the financial sector, Mia Seppo, Assistant Director General Jobs and Social Protection, International Labour Organization, discussed climate risk insurance, just transition principles, and access to essential services. Mishra called on industry to protect labor from heat risk. 

SIDS: On Friday, Heidi Schroderus-Fox, Permanent Representative of Finland to the UN Office in Geneva, moderated the event, noting the theme of unlocking support to advance implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States.

In his keynote, Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu, focused on three priorities: integrating DRR into national development plans and across sectors through innovative coordination; harnessing local knowledge and innovation, and tapping into lived experience and histories of resilience; unlocking finance and partnerships; and trusting national systems to legislate funds. He highlighted that Vanuatu is including action on DRR and loss and damage in its National Adaptation Plan, and described strengthening community committees to dually serve as first responders and inform development.

In the panel discussion, Desna Solofa, Deputy Secretary General, Pacific Islands Forum, highlighted the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent that embeds resilient development and integrates climate change and disasters, the Pacific Resilience Partnership that gives structure to collaboration with the private sector, and the Pacific Roadmap for Development that makes economic growth synonymous with financial resilience. She encouraged investment through the Pacific Resilience Facility.

Gina Bonne, Chargée de Mission, Indian Ocean Commission, emphasized looking across sectors at the systems level and highlighted the importance of assessing health impacts. Walton Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the UN, underscored climate-smart solutions and infrastructure driven by geospatial technology, AI-powered EWS, and putting NbS at the heart of strategies combining traditional knowledge and science.

Robert Jules Ernesta, Director General, Disaster Risk Management Division, Seychelles, said making DRR part of national security is essential, and that Seychelles is budgeting DRR activities into its planning and is coordinating with land use planning authorities.

Misha Lobban Clarke, Executive Director, Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry, discussed how the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) Caribbean and the Inter-American Development Bank supported Barbados in debt for climate swaps and highlighted ARISE, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies.

Side Events

A range of side events and learning labs took place during the Global Platform 2025 to highlight stakeholder priorities.

Displacement in Disasters—Participation and Innovation for Resilience: This Wednesday side event was organized by the Platform on Disaster Displacement, IOM, CARITAS Internationalis, IDMC, the Pacific Women’s Indigenous Network (Pacific WIN), Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, and the Government of the Philippines.

Jen Rae, Centre for Reworlding, in her keynote address, discussed how activating imagination and sensorial experiences helps drive social change by making the invisible visible.

Speakers described: how the annual average number of displaced people in 2024 nearly doubled over the past decade; ways to address mental health alongside physical safety during evacuations and displacement; and the need to better link bottom-up and top-down approaches for DRR.

The audience then watched artistic and cultural performances inspired by memories of disasters. Makelei Ngata, Pacific Women’s Representative DRR champion and performer, referred to the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption in 2022, and performed a traditional dance. Chimwemwe Sakunda, Caritas Malawi, declaimed a poem, “Daughters of the soil, regardless they stand.”

Participants heard real-life cases of displacement in Bangladesh and transformative resilience efforts in Chilean communities. They also watched videos on community-driven initiatives to improve resilience against future hazards in the Philippines, and the work of volunteers at the frontline of preparedness and response to disaster at the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh.

Inclusive Comprehensive School Safety—Strengthening Resilience for Children and Youth in All Hazards: This side event on Thursday, organized and facilitated by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), showcased school safety and resilience programmes from Central Asia, the Pacific region, and the Caribbean. 

Anja Nielsen, Co-Chair, Advocacy Working Group GADRRRES, gave an overview of CSSF, noting the all-hazard, all-risks approach that includes environmental, climate change, biological health risks, technical threats, and other everyday risks. She elaborated on the global school safety survey, representing 350 million school-aged children, and highlighted, among other concerns, that significant infrastructure investment is needed to better protect children and teachers from natural hazards, with most suffering from funding constraints. 

Education administrators from Saint Lucia, Tonga, and Kyrgyzstan described CSSF activities and outcomes from their regions and emphasized that: involving the children actively in school safety is a game changer; collaboration is the essence of resilience, requiring whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches; and building capacity at all levels, particularly for teachers, for comprehensive school safety is key. 

Advancing Risk Reduction with Inclusive AI Solutions: This Friday event, organized by the UN University (UNU), was moderated by Maxime Souvignet, UNU-Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). He described AI as a powerful paradox that can revolutionize DRR, while exacerbating inequalities. He challenged panelists and participants to go beyond the AI hype and explore how AI can leapfrog existing barriers to ensure new technologies will not only benefit those with access to digital systems.

In a first panel, on the dual nature of AI, David Daou, UNU-EHS, said AI is a “double-edged sword.” Even if often ignoring basic ethics, it is capable of saving time and lives by integrating data for EWS with governance systems to improve reaction speed and coordination. Grey Nearing, Google Research, warned that AI is only as good as the training background and data accuracy, but even when “more data is better,” AI can generalize and improve the quality of data across data-scarce areas.

On challenges to scaling AI technologies, Alen Berta, Executive Space Consultant and Head of AI, CGI Inc., noted many organizations lack the infrastructure to process and store big data or to keep up with the constant advances. Rakiya Babamaaji, Africa Space Council and National Space Research and Development Agency, Nigeria, participating virtually, described challenges from the African continent, saying many organizations lack basic tools, such as reliable electricity supply, fast computers or mobile networks, and emphasized the need for collaboration between international and local authorities to build capacities and reduce resource constraints.

In the second panel, on partnerships and practical solutions, Mythili Menon, Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Natural Disaster Management, International Telecommunications Union, reported on 27 use cases where disasters took place and all aspects were surveyed to build forecasting models, with a specific focus on including all aspects of community life before and after the disasters. Ildiko Almasi Simsic, CEO and Founder, Environmental & Social Research Solutions Limited, highlighted the importance of including social data with environmental and physical information, which is gathered through continuous engagement with directly affected communities.

Participating virtually, Debolina Kundu, Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs, India, described multiple technologies used in India’s urban areas, particularly related to informal settlement disasters, including AI-optimized closed-circuit cameras to help with risk detection, and an AI Playbook for Cities.

Closing Ceremony

During the closing ceremony on Friday afternoon, Global Platform 2025 Co-Chair Christin Frutiger, Vice-Director General and Head of Thematic Cooperation, SDC, presented the Co-Chair’s summary, titled the Geneva Call for DRR, which provides recommendations for advancing implementation of the Sendai Framework over its remaining five years. He noted that the summary captures the key outcomes of the Global Platform 2025 and recommends that countries:

• provide more and better data to understand risks, including historical information;
• use technology to leapfrog progress, in a way that is ethical and inclusive;
• address the complex and interconnected challenges with stronger international and regional cooperation;
• invest in prevention, including through domestic budgets, and by scaling up climate finance;
• ensure all investments are risk-informed;
• scale up EWS, particularly MHEWS;
• leave no one behind, because all can be leaders and agents for resilience, and equity and participation must be at the heart of DRR work; and
• build back better, by improving what was there before the disaster.

He concluded with a call to “act with urgency and solidarity,” saying “let us invest in a safer world for all.”

Maxensia Nakibuuka, Founder and Executive Director of the Lungujja Community Health Caring Organisation, Uganda, shared her lived experience as an HIV caregiver for 20 years and now as a person with a disability, who is no longer able to walk. “We are all candidates for disability,” she said. She called for including voices that are often left out. On behalf of health care workers everywhere, she advocated for resilience based on human rights and economic empowerment.

Kishore applauded the successes achieved so far in Sendai Framework implementation, noting that the number of people dying from disasters has halved, and all 131 member states have submitted national DRR plans. He urged all to adequately resource DRR efforts to comprehensively achieve the Sendai targets by 2030, and to elevate participation and action at the local level.

Albrito reminded everyone that the meeting outcomes will inform the continued implementation of the Sendai Framework and closed the meeting at 17:26 pm.