Meeting: Towards a Network of Networks: Connecting Sub-Regional Hubs in Europe and Central Asia Region for accelerating DRR (by invitation)

Endorsed in November 2021, the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR) Roadmap for 2021-20301 supports the regional dynamic of accelerating the implementation of the Sendai Framework for DRR. The EFDRR Roadmap highlights key enabling approaches, including the role of regional and sub-regional intergovernmental organizations, to ensure coherent, gender-responsive, age-sensitive and inclusive prevention, and risk reduction efforts. These organizations and related initiatives provide policy and strategy leadership, and build political and administrative commitment, which tailor and facilitate the sharing of resources and knowledge, as well as disaster risk reduction approaches and tools that are adapted to local geographic, administrative and socio-economic conditions. Connecting these existing hubs and initiatives in a systematic way will enable the strengthening of capacity on DRR, including on early warning, anticipatory action and climate resilience.

Across the Europe and Central Asia region alone, several regional and sub-regional networks exist that support countries to enhance their prevention, preparedness and recovery effort. These include the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Initiative for South-Eastern Europe (DPPI-SEE), the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM) and the European Union through its Union Civil Protection Mechanism. In Central Asia, the Centre for Emergency Situations and DRR (CESDRR) has been working toward greater disaster resilience across the sub-region through enhanced data, capacity, governance, and cooperation at local, urban, regional, and national levels. These activities have helped strengthen the role of CESDRR Almaty as the regional secretariat for coordination, and source of expertise, information, and capacity building on disaster risk reduction. 

This session will aim to:

1. Improve understanding and identify synergies between sub-regional entities.
2. Develop a networked approach of regional hubs for collaborative action in ECA region.
3. Establish a long-term mechanism for exchanges among DRR sub-regional actors.
4. Discuss creation a pool of existing experts for surge capacity to support prevention.