15 December 2017: The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) has launched a process for monitoring implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). The process also will help measure progress towards the SDGs on poverty (SDG 1), sustainable cities (SDG 11) and climate action (SDG 13). In Asia, a UNISDR partnership affirmed its commitment to the Sendai Framework target of increasing the number of countries that have national and local DRR strategies. These events advanced preparations towards the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) and the Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR, both of which are convening in July 2018.

UNISDR launched the Sendai Framework Monitoring Process at a three-day technical workshop for national focal points in Bonn, Germany. The Government of Germany supported the workshop, which took place from 6-8 December 2017, with approximately 170 participants from 85 countries, including several Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS). The workshop provided an opportunity for national focal points and representatives of national statistical offices (NSOs) to learn about the reporting requirements for monitoring progress toward the seven targets and four priorities of the Sendai Framework. Mohamed Zuhair, Maldives’ Minister of State, noted that indicators to monitor progress on the Sendai Framework and the SDGs reduce the reporting burden faced by countries.

Countries are aiming to complete their reporting on disaster losses in 2017 by 31 March 2018. Their reports will contribute towards measuring progress on SDGs 1, 11 and 13, feeding into the HLPF’s consideration of the theme, ‘Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies.’ Country reports will also inform the 2019 edition of the Global Assessment Report on DRR, to be discussed at the 2019 Global Platform for DRR, from 13-17 May in Geneva, Switzerland.

A week after the Bonn workshop, the ISDR Asia Partnership (IAP) met in Bangkok, Thailand. Governments and partners reaffirmed their commitment to target (e) of the Sendai Framework, which aims to substantially increase the number of countries that have national and local DRR strategies by 2020. The IAP meeting on 15 December involved 100 participants from 19 governments, three intergovernmental regional organizations, and various stakeholders. The meeting supported preparations towards the Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR 2018 (AMCDRR 2018) to be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 16-19 July 2018, on the theme, ‘Preventing Disaster Risk: Protecting Sustainable Development.’ Loretta Hieber Girardet, UNISDR, highlighted that the AMCDRR provides an opportunity for increasing awareness and galvanizing action.

AMCDRR 2018 will be the second ministerial conference to take place since the adoption of the Sendai Framework in 2015. The conference will review progress in implementing the Sendai Framework, and seek to strengthen coherent implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The meeting is expected to produce the ‘Ulaanbaatar Declaration,’ a 2018-2020 Action Plan for the Asia region, and various voluntary commitments. [UNISDR Press Release on Technical Workshop on Sendai Framework Monitoring] [UNISDR Technical Workshop Event Webpage] [UNISDR Press Release on IAP Meeting] [AMCDRR 2018 Website] [UNISDR Webpage on Sendai Framework]