By: Cementos Mexicanos - CEMEX

Adapted by: UNDRR - Americas and the Caribbean

MEXICO CITY, Mexico, 21 November, 2018 – 150 Mexican companies and other organizations joined the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE), signing the Declaration of Voluntary Cooperation, which created the first national public-private network to prevent and mitigate disasters in Mexico.

The signing of this agreement took place during the "VII meeting of public-private partnerships for disaster risk reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean: Building resilient infrastructures" held in Mexico City. The agreement seeks to coordinate the efforts of the private sector to strengthen the resilience of companies, organizations and civil society. Furthermore, it supports the development of contingency, continuity and preparedness plans to deal with emergency situations caused by disasters and, enhances the prevention efforts of the private sector through continuous collaboration with the public sector.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 emphasizes the need to establish public-private partnerships for disaster risk reduction related to the socio-economic impacts of disasters. The private sector can support disaster risk reduction by developing contingency plans, ensuring business continuity and improve disaster preparedness. As such, this agreement highlights the importance of Priority 3 of the Sendai Framework: Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience.

This agreement was signed by the Board of Directors of ARISE Mexico, which is composed of companies and organizations such as: AECOM (a global firm that specializes in the development of resilience strategies and climate change planning in Latin America and the Caribbean), AXA Insurance, the National Cement Chamber (CANACEM), the National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED), the Mexican Center for Philanthropy (CEMEFI), Cementos Mexicanos (CEMEX), the CINEMEX film company, the National Chamber of Industry, Radio and Television (CIRT), the humanitarian CMAX Foundation, Communication Council, Fuerza México Trust, Grupo Salinas, Jacobs, Marhnos, the National Civil Protection Center of the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB - CNPT), UPS, World Vision and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

Mexico is the country most exposed to disasters in Latin America and the fifth in terms of damages and economic lossescaused by these disasters (UN Habitat, 2018). The establishment of this network is particularly relevant given that worldwide economic losses from disasters have increased by 151% in 20 years and disasters have killed over 1.3 million people, according to a recent United Nations report.

"Companies have a direct influence on a country's capacity to mitigate the effects of a disaster. Through joint action, companies can be part of the solution to help reduce risk and increase the resilience of communities," said Martha Herrera, President of the ARISE network in Mexico for the 2018-2020 period.

"The United Nations estimates that by 2030, the annual economic losses caused by disasters will be US $415 billion. That is why the ARISE National Network in Mexico is significant since it addresses this challenge and increases the commitment of the country's private sector to disaster risk reduction. This will undoubtedly contribute to the development of resilient communities, prosperity and the sustainable growth of this great country," said Raúl Salazar, Head of UNDRR for The Americas and the Caribbean.

In 2019, ARISE will organize a Resilience Congress and launch an award to recognize best practices in comprehensive disaster risk management (prevention, action and mitigation) at the national level. In addition, and in conjunction with the University of Monterrey (UDEM) and CMAX, the network will introduce a Platform for Social Innovation for comprehensive disaster risk management that will certify more than 100 companies through UNDRR workshops at the national level to enable them to elaborate their disaster reduction and prevention plans, along with working groups for specific projects in each of the five regions of Mexico.

ARISE is a private sector initiative that seeks to reduce risks through better decision making, informed by the risk related to preparedness, response and recovery following a disaster. This includes risk-based investment decisions for a sustainable future at the global level. The combination of intellectual, implementation and capital assets collectively available within the public and private sector will support substantial progress towards the creation of resilient communities.

 

Related links

www.cemex.com

https://www.unisdr.org/partners/private-sector

www.sela.org

https://www.unisdr.org/files/43291_sendaiframeworkfordrren.pdf