As of 23 February 2006

ASIAN CONFERENCE ON DISASTER REDUCTION 2006
BACKGROUND PAPER

1.

Introduction

1.1
Composing the most disaster-prone
region of the world and home to more than a thirdof the world’s population, Asian countries suffer
severe disasters every year. The increasing
vulnerability of peoples in Asia is largely related todemographic conditions, technological andsocio-economic changes, expanding urbanization,
increasing settlement in high risk environments,
and growing poverty, among other conditions.
The recurrence of disasters and the prevalence ofdisaster risks present an enormous development
challenge to all countries in Asia today. The
detrimental impact of disasters seriously negatessocio-economic gains of countries and puts
human development at great risk. Disasters
exacerbate poverty, destroy social infrastructures,degrade the environment, and cause politicalinstability. Moreover, they deplete already scarce
resources for humanitarian and development
assistance.
Thus,
unabateddisasteroccurrences make sustainable development goals
even more elusive. Yet, as these realities prevail,the world has further witnessed in 2004-2005
enormous human sufferings and large-scaledevastations caused by the Indian Ocean Tsunami
and the South Asia Earthquake.
1.2
In retrospect, the world community has
been addressing the continuing concerns overdisaster trends since the UN World Conference on
Natural Disaster Reduction held in Yokohama,Japan in 1994 on the occasion of the mid-term
review of the International Decade for Natural
Disaster Reduction 1990-1999. The conference
adopted the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World:
Guidelines for Natural Disaster Prevention,
Preparedness and Mitigation and its Plan of Action,
which served as the international blue print fordisaster reduction. However, despite this and theunrelenting efforts by local, national, regional andinternational actors, disasters continued to affectan increasing number of people and exacted evenlarger economic losses. In 2001, the UN General
Assembly endorsed the review of the Yokohama
Strategy (A/RES/56/195). The review aimed at

identifying gaps and means of implementation
towards charting the course of action of theinternational community for the next decade.
1.3
In 2005, the UN World Conference on
Disaster Reduction (WCDR) was held in Kobe,
Hyogo, Japan, from 18 to 22 January. The
WCDR marked the conclusion of the review of the
Yokohama Strategy and its Plan of Action. The
specific gaps and challenges identified in thereview of the Yokohama Strategy were (a)governance: organizational, legal and policy
frameworks; (b) risk identification, assessment
monitoring and early warning; (c) knowledge
management and education; (d) reducing
underlying risk factors; and (e) preparedness for
effective response and recovery. Moreover, the
WCDR resolved to pursue the substantial
reduction of disaster losses, in lives and in thesocial, economic, and environmental assets ofcommunities and countries for the next ten years.
The WCDR adopted the Hyogo Framework for
Action 2005-2015 (HFA): Building the Resilienceof Nations and Communities to Disasters, which
provides a clear and authoritative framework forpursuing disaster risk reduction and builds onother relevant multilateral frameworks anddeclarations. The framework provides for a setof priorities for various stakeholders of disasterrisk reduction for the decade. (See 3.2 and Annex
A: Hyogo Framework for Action.)
1.4
Following up on the WCDR, the Asian
Conference on Disaster Reduction was convened
in Beijing, China, on 27-29 September 2005. It
aimedtoconsolidate
political
support,commitment and action for the implementation of
the HFA in the Asian region. (See Annex C: The
Beijing Action Plan)
1.5
With these developments, countries in
the Asian region are encouraged to introduce
relevant and responsive initiatives and strengthen
existing efforts in line with the accomplishment of
the priorities for action of the HFA. Effectively,
Asian countries are expected to facilitate theimplementation of the HFA in the region, while
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international and regional organizations shallfurther support this process.

2.
Disaster Reduction Activities in Asia
towards the WCDR
2.1
Since the UN World Conference on
Natural Disaster Reduction held in Yokohama in
1994, the international community has undertaken
increasing efforts to implement disaster reduction.
The Yokohama Conference had also furtheredinternational cooperation in this area and the Planof Action adopted by participants had presented
specific benchmarks and attainable objectives.
In this context, countries in all regions have beenworking towards understanding the importance ofdisaster risk and vulnerability reduction andcreating means and measures to counter the
impact of natural and other hazards.
2.2
In pursuit of the Yokohama Strategy in
Asia and with the heightened awareness fordisasterreduction
followingtheGreat
Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the Asian Natural
Disaster Reduction Conference, a ministerial-levelmeeting of Asian countries, was held in Kobe,
Hyogo, Japan in 1995. It adopted the Kobe
Declaration on Natural Disaster Reduction which
included an agreement to consider the creation ofa "system which has the functions of a disaster
reduction center for the Asian region". The seriesof meetings that followed led to an agreement
among 20 Asian countries to establish a center
that would serve as the secretariat of the "system”
forged during the Asian Disaster Reduction
Cooperation Promotion Meeting held on 16-17
June 1997.
2.3
In this regard, the Asian Disaster
Reduction Center (ADRC) was established on 30
July 1998 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
It wasmandated to facilitate the exchange of disaster
reduction experts from countries and international
bodies, to accumulate and provide disaster
reduction information, and to undertake researchin international cooperation in disaster reduction.
Upon establishment, ADRC was comprised of 22
member Asian countries, and four advisory
member countries from outside Asia, and ADPC
as an observer organization.
Later, morecountries had joined as members: Armenia in
August 2000, Kyrgyz, in July 2002 and Pakistan in
July 2005. ADRC now consists of 25 member
countries.
2.4
Furthermore, at the global level, the UN
General Assembly in 1999 launched the UN
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) to sustain the initiatives and gains of the UN
International Decade for Natural Disaster
Reduction (1990-1999). It builds on the lessons
from IDNDR, the experience of the Yokohama
Strategy, and the Geneva Mandate of 1999. The
ISDR reflects a major conceptual shift from thetraditional emphasis on disaster response todisaster reduction, and thus seeks to promote a“culture of prevention”. The approach reflected in
the ISDR is premised on an appreciation of thefact that the loss of life and destruction resulting
from disasters are not inevitable and can be
mitigated by reducing the vulnerability ofcommunities to natural hazards. It recognizes thatnatural hazards in themselves do not inevitably
lead to disasters, but disasters result from theimpact of natural hazards on vulnerable social
systems. In other words, natural disasters can beprevented through conscious human action
designed to reduce vulnerability.
2.5
Since its launch, the ISDR has worked toshift the primary focus and emphasis from hazards
and their physical consequences to emphasize
more the processes involved in incorporating
physical and socio-economic dimensions ofvulnerability into the wider understanding,assessment and management of disaster risks.
This highlights the importance of integrating
disaster risk reduction into the broader context ofsustainable
development
andrelatedenvironmental considerations. In this regard, theISDR provides a global framework for action withthe objective of reducing human, social, economicand environmental losses due to natural hazards
and related technological and environmental
phenomena. It aims at building disaster resilient
communities by promoting increased awarenesson the importance of disaster reduction as anintegral component of sustainable development.
2.6
In January 2000, through resolution
54/219, the General Assembly established two
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mechanisms for the implementation of ISDR; theInter-Agency Secretariat and the Inter-Agency
Task Force on Disaster Reduction. This wasreconfirmed in resolution 56/195in December
2001. The General Assembly also called upon
governments to establish national platforms or
focal points for disaster reduction, and tostrengthen them where they already exist, with amultisectoral and interdisciplinary approach.
2.7
In order to accelerate the adoption of
ISDR strategies in Asia, the Asian Disaster
Reduction Center (ADRC) and the UN OCHA
Asian Disaster Response Unit in Kobe, Hyogo,
Japan, in cooperation with key stakeholders in theregion, have initiated a series of consultations in
2001-2003.
The meetings focused on how
reducing disaster risks and responding todisasters could be accomplished more efficiently
and more effectively together. The outcome of the
discussions was a common understanding of theneed to mainstream disaster risk management inall development activities and to set the agenda
for a more coherent and proactive disastermanagement approach that addresses theunderlying causes of disaster risks and thevulnerability of communities in Asian countries. To
address adequately these needs, the key
stakeholders in Asia have agreed to promote the
Total Disaster Risk Management Approach or
TDRM, as a holistic strategy for more effective
disaster risk reduction and response in the region.
As a regional strategy, it vigorously promotes
disaster risk reduction and response through theimplementation of disaster risk management andthepromotionofmultidisciplinary
andinter-sectoral cooperation and collaboration
among stakeholders.
2.8
The development and adoption of the
TDRM approach was the major course of action at
the Consultative Meeting on Regional Cooperationin Disasters held in Kathmandu, Nepal, in July
2001. The concept was presented to various
stakeholders in the region, including disastermanagement practitioners, academicians, andNGOs. Its first formal introduction was to official
delegates of Asian governments in the Asian
Conference on Disaster Reduction held in New
Delhi, India, in January 2002, and to delegates ofAsian NGOs in a workshop on networking held in

Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, in February 2002.
Afterwards, TDRM was shared to importantregional organizations in a consultative meeting
held in Bangkok, Thailand, in June 2002, and to
government officials of Asian countries in aworkshop held in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, in August
2002.
2.9
As disaster risks and vulnerabilities
increase with flawed development activities andthe prevalence of extreme climate events, it has
become urgent to promote multi-disciplinary andinter-sectoral partnerships at all levels which
TDRM advocates for.
It has become alsoessential to build consensus on the need forinternational cooperation for disaster reduction
and to determine the relative positioning of thiscooperation within the general schemes of current
international cooperation and development
policies. In this regard, the Asian Conference on
Disaster Reduction 2003 was held on 15-17
January 2003 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. The
conference
aimed: (a) to understand theachievements and challenges in disaster
reductions in Asia, (b) to develop the paradigm ofregional and international cooperation, and (c) tobuild disaster reduction capacity and propose
guidelines to improve it for the Asian region, as acontribution to the review of the Yokohama
Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World.
2.10
In this conference, the following key
issues emerged from the discussions as major
concerns and challenges in the Asian region: (a)Urban vulnerability and disasters, (b) Adaptation
to climate change, (c) Multi-disciplinary andinter-sectoral cooperation to address emerging
challenges, (d) Enhancement of information
management capacity.
2.11
While the Asian Conference on Disaster
Reduction 2003 identified that the above fourareas require strengthening, the question remains:
How could achieve these objectives be achieved.
In order to do so, it was necessary to identify
concrete measures and actions responding to
general objectives that were compatible withcurrent international strategies and programs.
This latter aspect was important to ensure that
local and national undertakings were inconsonance with internationally shared goals.
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2.12
The Asian Conference on Disaster
Reduction 2004 held on 4-6 February 2004 in
Siem Reap, Cambodia, emphasized that theimportant challenges today concern finding
effective ways to translate disaster risk reduction
concepts into practice, mainstreaming disasterrisk reduction into national development plans andpolicies, institutionalizing disaster risk reduction
programs at the community level, and filling in any
existing gaps in the disaster reduction cycle.
Concrete measures, tools and mechanisms need
to be improved to achieve this aim. Conceptual
frameworks need to yield specific programs ofaction focused on people and the actual needs ofthe communities.
2.13
In response to the emerging issues,concerns and challenges, the conference agreed
that the following actions were important: (a)Comprehensive review of national disastermanagement situation; (b) Evolution of national
policies for disaster reduction; (c) Investment indisaster reduction; (d) Communication andinformation management, and (e) Enhancement ofpartnerships.

3.
WCDR and the Adoption of the HFA
2005-2015
3.1
The UN World Conference on Disaster
Reduction (WCDR) held on 18-22 January 2005 in
Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, represents a landmark inworldwide understanding and commitment toimplement a disaster risk reduction agenda.
Governments, regional and UN and otherinternational organizations, local authorities,
NGOs and experts, as well as international
financial institutions, reviewed the progress,
shared good practices and experiences in thevarious fields of disaster risk reduction. The
WCDR successfully channeled the heightenedinterest created by the devastating earthquake
and tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean on 26
December 2004 into concrete commitment todisaster risk reduction. This commitment wascaptured in the Hyogo Declaration and the HFAadopted at the WCDR. It provides for a quantum
leap in building capacities to reduce disasterlosses as part of development and humanitarian

strategies. (See AnnexA: Hyogo Framework for
Action, ANNEX B: Hyogo Declaration).
3.2
Specifically, the WCDR presented andadopted the following five priorities for action: (a)Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national
and local priority with strong institutional basis for
implementation; (b) Identify, assess and monitor
disaster risks and enhance early warning; (c) Use
knowledge, innovation and education to build aculture of safety and resilience at all levels; (d)Reduce underlying risk factors; and (e) Strengthen
disaster preparedness for effective response at alllevels.

4.
Significant Progress and Remaining
Challenges in Disaster Reduction in Asia after
the WCDR
4.1
The Asian Conference on Disaster
Reduction (Beijing Conference) was convened in
Beijing, China on 27-29 September 2005. It wasorganized to enhance regional cooperation in theimplementation of the HFA. As a first step
towards reducing disaster risk and attaining
sustainable development, Asian countries areencouraged to proceed in accordance with the
HFA to achieve tangible results of a set oftime-bound activities which are of immediateconcern to all Asian countries in their pursuit ofpoverty reduction and sustainable development.
(See Annex C: The Beijing Action Plan)
4.2
Some Asian countries have been moving
towards developing national platforms for disasterrisk reduction and implementing strategies andprograms in accordance with the HFA. These
include India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, which haveintroduced steps towards the strengthening of
their respective national disaster management
systems and passage of legislation and laws formore effective disaster risk reduction.
4.3
National governments are encouraged toformulate their respective strategic national actionplans for disaster risk reduction according to theirestablishednational
prioritiesforthe
implementation of the HFA and to put in place anational mechanism for periodic review of theimplementation of the plan.
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advocacy and facilitation of UN/ISDR and the
support to governments of UN Country Teams,
this mechanism should set in motion a process forthe development of a commonly agreed set ofindicators for measuring the progress achieved at
local, national, and regional levels.

information exchange to allow dialogue andstrengthen the individual characteristics for thepartners and as a group; and (3) ensure that therecommendations in the HFA are adapted to meetthe priority requirements of each country in the
Asia-Pacific Region.

4.4
Moreover, in Asia, ADRC has beenplaying a leading role for enhancing national
initiative and capacity for the implementaion of the
HFA in the Asian countries through the various
supportive efforts. These include the assistancefor establishing a Tsunami Early Warning Systemin the Indian Ocean and the activities for fosteringcommunities capabilities for disaster reduction in
the context of Total Disaster Risk Management.

4.7
More recently, on the recommendation of
the WCDR and in support of HFA, theInternational Recovery Platform (IRP) was
launched in May 2005 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan,
with Japan’s support to address the emerging
gaps and constraints in post-disaster recovery.
Through collaboration and cooperation among key
UN Agencies (UNDP, ISDR, OCHA and ILO),ADRC and other stakeholders like the World Bankand the IFRC, the IRP intends to develop
mechanisms, tools and guidelines for efficient andeffective recovery process in disaster affected
countries. As one of the initial projects, the IRP
Secretariat, or the “Kobe Hub”, is currently
building a database for good practices andlessons observed from past disasters andrecovery experiences. This initiative is part of thedevelopment of a cross-disaster knowledge
management kit in support of better and more
effective post-disaster recovery interventions.
Similarly, a “Geneva Hub” is focused on initiatives
to enhance recovery operations, while another,“Turin Hub”, is coordinating capacity building
related activities.

4.5
In addition to ADRC, there have been anumber of other regional mechanisms andcapacities available to support and facilitate
disaster risk reduction and response at thenational and community level. To implement the
HFA, these existing mechanisms should be further
strengthened, including expanding their service
fields and cooperation among such mechanisms
should be further developed. In these processes,
national governments are encouraged to work
closely with relevant international organizations,development, technical assistance and funding
agencies, and to avail of the experience andopportunities presented by other existingmechanisms.
4.6
The ISDR Asia Partnership for Disaster
Reduction (IAP) was launched at the Asian
Conference on Disaster Reduction 2004, and has
evolved a valuable collaboration among member
organizations. The members of the IAP are UNDP,UNESCAP,
UN/ISDR
UN/OCHA,(UN
inter-agency partners for DRR) and two regionalorganizations, ADPC and ADRC. The members of
IAP recently met in Bangkok on 5 August 2005 toreview and redefine its role, to identify priority
areas for action that will enable the partnership tocontribute to the implementation of the HFA. The
role of the partnership was to: (1) promote disasterrisk reduction throughout the region by conducting
strategic initiatives in target countries andsub-regions in partnership with other entities as
required by each specific case; (2) develop aforum for discussion, experience sharing and

4.8
In view of the enormous recovery
requirements following the Indian Ocean Tsunami,
the UNDP/BCPR has launched its Regional
Program on Capacity Building for Sustainable
Recovery and Risk Reduction in Tsunami Affected
Countries. This is a regional project on capacity
building in post-tsunami recovery, which has
disaster reduction components supportive of the
HFA. Its planned outcomes are: (a) improved
information management systems of post-tsunami
recovery and disaster reduction efforts; (b)learning tools and initiatives available to the region
for building post disaster recovery and disasterrisk management capacity; and (c) enhanced
effectiveness and coherence of multi-hazard,
end-to-end early warning systems at the local
level.
4.9

Over the years, WMO a specialized
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technical agency of the United Nations, throughthe coordinated network of the National
Meteorological and Hydrological Services, has
worked to develop the global operational
infrastructure for observing, detecting, research
and forecasting of the weather-, water- andclimate-related hazards in support of national
early warning systems. With a deep commitment
to fostering partnerships for advancing the HFAparticularly related to the second HFA high priorityare (i.e., identifying, assessing and monitoringrisks and enhancing early warnings) WMO,
through its crosscutting Natural Disasterprevention and Mitigation Programme hasdeveloped a multi-hazard strategic plan.
Through a coordinated approach of its ten
scientific and technical Programmes and strategic
partnerships, WMO is working to promote thecritical benefits of early warning systems as anintegral part of the national disaster risk
management policies and improving andexpanding capacities for hazard early warnings,
developed and issued by NMHSs, in support ofdisaster risk reduction activities in the countries.
4.10
UN/OCHA has also been vigorously
supporting capacity building programs forstrengthening national and regional preparednessfor effective disaster response.
It has also
facilitated the capacity enhancement of UN
Country Teams for contingency planning andcoordination of phased interventions for disaster
reduction and response at the country level.

5.
Asian
Conferenceon
Reduction 2006 (Republic of Korea)

Disaster

5.1
The Asian Conference on Disaster
Reduction 2006: Towards the Realization of theStrategic Goals of the Hyogo Framework for
Action (HFA) 2005-2015 is hosted by theGovernment of Republic of Korea and jointly
organized by the Governments of the Republic ofKorea and Japan, the Asian Disaster Reduction
Center (ADRC), the Inter-Agency Secretariat ofthe International Strategy for Disaster Reduction(UN/ISDR), the World Meteorological Organization(WMO), the United Nations Development Program(UNDP) and the United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN/OCHA).

It is slated to be held in March 2006 in Seoul,
Republic of Korea, about a year after the WCDR
and six months after the Beijing Conference.
5.2
For its aims, the ACDR 2006 shall review
the current status of the implementation of thestrategic goals and priorities for action inaccordance with the HFA, with a view to ensuring
sustainable social and economic development in
the Asian region. The ACDR 2006 shall also
provide the participants the opportunity to be
exposed to relevant guidelines and tools to assist
in the implementation of disaster risk reduction
activities in the context of the HFA.
5.3
The expected outcomes of the ACDR2006 include: (a) Enhanced awareness of theparticipants on the priorities for action of the HFA,
as they are expected to facilitate theimplementation of the HFA in their respective
countries; (b) Identification by the participants of
the impediments in their respective countries andtheir concrete and practical measures for the
successful implementation of the HFA; (c) Defining
national strategies and support mechanisms for
HFA implementation; (d) Defining coordination
requirements and priority actions for HFA
implementation in specific Asian countries andappreciation of the Strategic National Action Plan
(SNAP) (to be introduced by UN/ISDR) as animportant support mechanism; and (e) Enhanced
cooperation
andcollaboration
among
governments, the United Nations system, otherinternational and regional organizations, NGOs
and other stakeholders towards ensuring smooth
implementation of the HFA.
5.4
Additionally, the participants are
expected to recognize and consider themes
related to the emerging roles of women and theirempowerment in disaster risk reduction.

ANNEXESA The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)B The Hyogo Declaration
C The Beijing Action Plan

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