UNDRR presents Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 in Colombia

By: UNDRR - The Americas.

BOGOTA, Colombia, 11 June 2015 – Within the theme “Towards Sustainable Development: The Future of Disaster Risk Management”, the United National Disaster Risk Reduction Office in Colombia published the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 (GAR).

The GAR is a biannual publication that includes a thorough review of the impact of disasters and provides strategic policy guidance to countries and the international community in the field of integrated risk management, thus contributing to strengthening community resilience and the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, adopted this year by the Member States of the United Nations.

During the launch event, jointly organized by the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD for its acronym in Spanish) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Ricardo Mena, Head of the UNDRR Regional Office - the Americas said: “The Americas is known as one of the regions which has rapidly advanced the issue of risk management in the recent years; however, it is also is one of the most exposed and vulnerable regions in the world.”

 “In the region and in the world, the economic losses from disasters are increasing steadily, which is a wake-up call for our decision makers to prioritize the issue of risk management and invest more to prevent an even greater negative impact on the future,” Mena added.

It is worth noting that in this version the GAR highlights the work done by Colombia in the area of ​​disaster risk management and the progress made by the South American country in strengthening resilience at the community level.

Andrew Maskrey, co-editor of the report, presented the GAR in Colombia, and the event was attended by representatives of the entities of the National System for Disaster Risk Management in Colombia, as well as aid workers and members of the diplomatic corps.

Related links:

Global Assessment Report website

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