6. The International Recovery Platform (IRP): History and Current Activities

As described in the Terms of Reference, the IRP Kobe functions as the IRP secretariat and is
responsible for convening IRP steering committee meetings and disseminating information on IRP
activities and outcomes.
* IRP members: Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC), Hyogo Prefectural Government,International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC),
International Labour Organization (ILO), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy,
Cabinet Office of Japan, Swiss Agency for Development and Coordination (SDC),
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),United Nations Development
Programme(UNDP),UnitedNations

HumanSettlements

Programme(UN-HABITAT), United Nations Secretariat of the International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (UN/OCHA), the World Bank, World Health Organization(WHO), and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

6-3. IRP Activities in FY 2011
6-3-1. International Recovery Forum 2012
The International Recovery Forum 2012 – Regional Cooperation for Resilient Recovery- was heldin Kobe, Hyogo, Japan on 20 January 2012. The forum aimed to explore mechanisms for regional
cooperation in promoting resilient recovery, present experiences and lessons from recent recovery
operations, discuss lessons on regional cooperation initiatives in the context of post-disasterrecovery, and showcase new IRP tools for resilient recovery. 141 participants from 16 countries
and 13 international organizations comprised of national and local officials, experts on disaster
reduction and recovery, and representatives of various stakeholders, attended the forum.
Following the keynote speech on regional
perspective in DRR and recovery by Ms. Marta
Ruedas, Deputy Assistant Administrator andDeputy Director of Bureau for Crisis Prevention
and Recovery, UNDP, Mr. Jin Sato, Mayor of
Minami Sanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture,Japan, reported the recovery initiatives from theGreat East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), and Mr.
Akinori Sugimoto, Chief Executive Officer ofFig. 6-3-1 International Recovery Forum 2012

Emergency Management, Hyogo PrefecturalGovernment made a presentation on the regional cooperation for the GEJE. There were also
reports on the experiences and lessons on recovery and preparedness for regional cooperationfrom ASEAN, SOPAC, SAARC, CDEMA. A panel discussion on ex-ante regional cooperation
for recovery was coordinated by Mr. Thomas Hockley, Head , Regional Programme Support
Section, UNISDR, on the basis of the results of the group discussion at the workshop held as apre-event of the forum on 19 January 2012.

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6-3-2. Participation in the Third Session of the Global
Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
The Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) organized byUNISDR was held from 8 to 13 May 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss topics around thetheme "Invest Today for a Safer Tomorrow: Increased Investment in Local Action." The Global
Platform also included the first World Reconstruction Conference (WRC), hosted by the WorldBank.
IRP set up its own booth at the DRR Market Place to showcase knowledge products andservices for resilient recovery. Several posters were displayed to communicate key messages for"Build Back Better". The Guidance Notes on Recovery and the Capacity Building Module on
Resilient Recovery drew a lot of attention from participants. Moreover, IRP in cooperation withADRC, made a presentation entitled "The Great East Japan Earthquake: Rethinking theInvestment for Safer Tomorrow" at the Ignite Stage. Additionally, IRP/ADCR madepresentations in some sessions at the Global Platform.

Fig. 6-3-2-2 IRP Presentation at theDRR-CCA session

Fig. 6-3-2-1 IRP Booth at the DRR MarketPlace

6-3-3. Consultation and Review on Aceh Post-Tsunami
Recovery
IRP/ ADRC team visited Indonesia in 22-25 February 2011 to strengthen partnerships inrecovery, including consultation and review of Aceh Post-Tsunami Recovery both at Banda,
Aceh with TDMRC and Jakarta with BRR Institute.
The recovery status report on Aceh Tsunami focuses on the learning's along sectors oflivelihoods, shelter, infrastructure, and governance. Challenges and lessons were highlighted toinform other governments and relevant stakeholders of unique experience and initiatives. TheIRP/ADRC team provided comments, and took advantage of the presence of key actors on Aceh
Recovery by providing brief orientation on Disaster Recovery Planning as well as presentation ofIRP/ADRC knowledge products and services.
In Jakarta, IRP/ADRC team participated in the BRR Institute Workshop "Governance of
Recovery: Lessons from Housing, Settlement and Infrastructure". IRP/ADRC introduced theplatform and the lessons from recovery focusing on identified themes. The event attracted highlevel participation, including vice ministerial levels and heads of development organizations in66

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6. The International Recovery Platform (IRP): History and Current Activities

Indonesia totaling to about 40 delegates. Some werefrom central government bodies, local governments,
universities

andresearchcenters.

IRP/ADRC

publications were circulated and some displayed at theworkshop. IRP /ADRC symbolically provided one set ofguidance notes on recovery to BRR Institute to promotepartnership. Some copies of guidance notes were also
given to ministries and representatives of local
governments. Among the key outcomes that relate toFig. 6-3-3 Consultation and review onAceh post-tsunami recovery

IRP/ADRC were: (i) potential transfer of IRP training module to BRR Institute, including
training of trainers; (ii) closer partnership in the knowledge management function of recovery;and (iii) membership of Government of Indonesia in the IRP Steering Committee.
The IRP/ADRC team also visited AHA Centre facility, President's Delivery Unit Office forDevelopment Monitoring and Oversight, BNPB, and Australia-Indonesia Facility for DisasterReduction (AIFDR) to strengthen partnerships in recovery.

6-3-4. Discussions on Recovery Planning
Over thirty nine government officials
and representatives from civil societyorganizations,whoareengaged

inlong-term recovery, participated in thediscussions

onrecovery

planning

organized by the Government of Pakistan,
UNISDR,andUNDP

with

IRP

contributing the key resource persons.
The three-day event was held at HotelFig. 6-3-4 Discussions on Recovery Planning

Best Western, Islamabad, Pakistan from28-30 November 2011.
The discussions facilitated the sharing of knowledge and experience on recovery planningwith the intention to further enhance capacities and enrich the recovery planning process before
and after large scale disaster. Additionally, the discussions were organized to provide an avenue
for participants to discuss different recovery issues and reflect on wide array of options andexamples from global experiences. Towards the end of the event, recommendations drawn fromthe group discussions were fine-tuned through comments from other participants and experts
from IRP member organizations.
As way forward, NDMA Pakistan, UNDP, and UNISDR are exploring the best way toforward this type of learning event down to the district and village levels. NDMA, in partnershipwith other development organizations, can serve as focal for dissemination of training on
recovery planning at national and local governments as well as other relevant organizations. IRP
welcomes opportunity to assist NDMA in this endeavor.

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