11 May 2009: The Second Africa Regional Platform (ARP) on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Consultative Meeting convened at UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, from 5-7 May 2009. The event, themed “Accelerate progress in implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and the Africa Regional Strategy for DRR,” was organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR).

The overall objective of the meeting was to review progress made in the implementation of the HFA, promote regional cooperation, strengthen regional mechanisms and programmes, and prepare Africa’s participation in the Second Session of the Global Platform for DRR to be held from 16-19 June 2009, in Geneva, Switzerland. The Global Platform is aimed at increasing understanding of how risk reduction helps adaptation to climate risk, representing an essential stepping stone to a post-2012 climate change agreement.
Delegates agreed on a series of recommendations to the Second Session of the Global Platform for DRR, including promoting synergies between DRR and climate variability and change frameworks and processes at all levels, as part of Africa’s efforts in defining its position for the climate change talks in Copenhagen, and taking into account climate-related hazards and associated risk in urban centers in socioeconomic development infrastructure. [IISD RS briefing note]