Remarks on the Launch of the Website for the 7th Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean 2020

Acknowledgement

• Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, Member of Parliament, Minister of Finance and the Public Service;
• The Hon Desmond McKenzie, Member of Parliament, Minister of Local Government and Community Development,
• and Mrs. Marsha Henry-Martin Permanent Secretary;
• Reverend Astor Carlyle and other members of the clergy;
• Mr. Ronald Jackson, Executive Director, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA);
• Mr. Nahuel Arena, Deputy Chief Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean UN Office for the Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR);
• Other colleagues from the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and other UN Agencies;
• Ladies and Gentlemen;
• Good morning and greetings to you all on behalf of the Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Message

It is my pleasure to be here with you today representing the entire UN Jamaica family and to launch the official website of the 7th Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction with such distinguished company.

The launch marks the 1-year countdown to the date in which this important event will be inaugurated in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

It is just over four years since UN Member States adopted the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the global plan to reduce disaster losses, which is fundamental to the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Why? The Sendai Framework recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk. It also acknowledges that responsibility should be shared with other partners including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders.

Its key outcome is for the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health as well as losses in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries.

Importantly, Sendai has 7 global targets which guide countries in their efforts to reduce disaster losses. As part of this, it is important to note that member states committed not only to reducing mortality and the number of affected people, but also the amount of direct economic loss in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 due to disaster, as well as damages to critical infrastructure due to disaster.

This is a clear recognition of the fact that economic growth has a direct relationship with and is necessary to achieve the SDGs. But if investment, in particular, new and critical infrastructure investment - is not risk-informed, that very growth increases risk.

Reducing losses at this scale will only be achieved if public and private sector work hand in hand.

For this reason, the theme of the 7th Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, “Building Resilient Economies,” cannot be more appropriate for the challenges we face. The Americas & the Caribbean region absorbs 53% of global economic losses because of disasters. When we look at the economic impact of disasters relative to the GDP, Caribbean countries and territories dominate the top ten of the global ranking.

There is a lot to learn from these experiences and the Regional Platform will be a privileged space to do so. Regional Platforms create opportunities for multiple stakeholders such as national and local governments, intergovernmental organizations, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, community organizations, scientific and academic institutions, private sector, donors and the media come together to share experiences and knowledge and to agree on the main regional priorities for concerted action for disaster risk reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean.

The 7th Regional Platform will be an opportunity for Jamaica and for the Caribbean to showcase its advances in Disaster Risk Reduction. To inspire and be inspired by the experiences of the more than a thousand delegates and experts who will come to Jamaica to learn, exchange, and enjoy.

With 1 year ahead of us for this important event, let us all work together to make sure we take the best out of this opportunity for us who live in Jamaica, but also to make sure participants learn from the advances of Jamaica and the Caribbean in making our communities more resilient.

Finally, on behalf of the UN System, I commend the Government of Jamaica for its extraordinary leadership and commitment to host such an important event for the region and the world.

Thank you.