The Sendai aftermath challenge: Going from disaster risk management to an effective disaster risk reduction strategy as a development plan

By: UNDRR – The Américas.

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador 19 June 2015 - Margareta Wahlström, Special Representative for the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, thanked the Central American region for their contributions to the recent adopted Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, and emphasized that “the challenge now is to go from disaster risk reduction management to an effective disaster risk reduction strategy as a development plan.”

During her participation at the III Regional Consulting Forum of the Central American Policy for Integrated Disaster Risk Management (PCGIR), inaugurated yesterday in San Salvador by the President of the Republic, Salvador Sánchez Cerén, Mrs. Wahlström indicated that Central America -a region that holds over 43 million inhabitants- is considered to be the second most vulnerable region in the world against climate risks and losses associated with disasters for more than 64 billion dollars in the last three decades * .

Likewise, she recognized the significant advances in the region during the implementation of the Hyogo Framework of Action -the predecessor of the Sendai Framework- highlighting amongst many of those accomplishments, the adoption of the Central America Policy for Integral Disaster Risk Management (PCGIR).

For his part, President Sanchez Cerén referred to the actions that have been developing in the past years to reduce the vulnerability of the region and stressed the need to "work on a sustainable development that integrates climate change adaptation and risk management together". " One of the main objectives outlined in our Five-Year Development Plan is to move towards an economy and an environmentally sustainable society resilient to the effects of climate change; because the progress of society can not be extraneous to environmental sustainability" , he said.

The Consultative Forum brought together key stakeholders in the region in the integral disaster risk sector, in order to strengthen regional and national vision for disaster risk reduction, and in order to promote the implementation of the PCGIR as an instrument and as an important political platform towards sustainable development of the region, all in accordance with the Sendai Framework, which was adopted earlier this year by the Member States of the United Nations.

Ms. Wahlström and President Sanchez Cerén held a bilateral meeting, in which the President said that El Salvador has been becoming increasingly better prepared to cope with the impact of natural hazards, and highlighted the new cabinet that coordinates environmental sustainability and disaster vulnerability, and was created in order to ensure that there is an integrated approach to climate change, disaster risk management and sustainable development.

Moreover, Ms. Wahlström met with the Vice President of El Salvador, Oscar Ortiz, who said: "The country has a national commitment to disaster risk reduction" and recognized UNDRR as a strategic partner in the field.

During his prior appointment as Mayor of the Municipality of Santa Tecla (2000-2014), Oscar Ortiz was recognized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), as "Champion" for the Global Campaign" Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready!”, in recognition to his commitment to strengthening community resilience.

Related Links:

Margareta Wahlström speech at the opening of the Consulting Forum

Official Informative Bulletin for the Consulting Forum

Central American Policy for Integrated Disaster Risk Management (PCGIR)

* According to estimates by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and contained in the First Regional Assessment Report of Vulnerability and Disaster Risk in Central America, edited by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) , through its Regional Office for the Americas and the Center for Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America (CEPREDENAC).

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