Report on the Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction

The Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction (ACDR) was held in Beijing, China between 27 and 29 September 2005. The conference was hosted by the China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and co-organized by UNDP, UN/ISDR, UNESCAP and ADPC. Four hundred and fifty delegates from 42 Asian countries and 13 international organizations participated in the conference. It was the first conference on disaster reduction at minister level in Asia. China’s Primer Minister H.E. Mr. Wen Jiabao warmly welcomed the heads of delegations from the participated countries and the representatives from the international organizations at the Great Hall of the People on 27 September. 

Dr. Suvit Yodmani, Executive Director of ADPC, co-chaired the Third High-Level Round Table of Community Based Disaster Risk Management on 28 September at the ACDR. Mr. Aloysius Rego, Team Leader of Disaster Management System made a presentation titled “Community-Based Disaster Risk Management in Asia-- Experiences and Lessons Learned” at the same day. Mr. Earl Kessler, Deputy Executive Director, attended the opening ceremony of the conference.

As international experts invited by the ACDR, Mr. Arjunapermal Subbiah, Team Leader/Director of Climate Risk Management and Mr. N. M. S. I. Aramepola, Team Leader of Urban Disaster Risk Management also made presentations to the conference respectively. Their presentations impressed participants and prompted a lot of discussion amongst the attendants.

ADPC also joined other activities during the ACDR. For example, Mr. Rego facilitated the volunteer working group finalizing the outcome document of ACDR “The Beijing Action for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia” together with the representatives from UN/ISDR.