General Assembly: 72nd Plenary Meeting (resumed…

Stressing the urgency of managing the risks of natural and man-made disasters to protect future generations, the General Assembly today resumed its review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

After a two-day, high-level meeting held at United Nations Headquarters earlier this month, delegates took to the General Assembly Hall again and renewed their commitment for collective action to curb the loss of lives and property from floods, earthquakes, pandemics and other disasters by the Framework’s 2030 target date.  Delegates agreed the need for action at the global, national and local levels is only accelerating as many vulnerable, developing countries struggle to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

At the meeting’s opening day on 18 May, delegates had adopted by consensus a political declaration reiterating the Framework’s call to substantially limit risk and loss while acknowledging that conventional approaches are no longer sufficient.  (For background, see Press Release GA/15202). 

To help thwart disasters before they can occur and mitigate the consequences of unavoidable events, many Governments are intent on developing national and local plans, programmes and agencies.

Several delegates said unilateral coercive measures create hurdles for countries intent on implementing national plans for disaster risk reduction and response.