About the Africa Regional Platform

The biennial Africa Regional Platform has established itself as a critical mechanism that brings together Member States, Regional Economic Communities, development partners and other disaster risk reduction stakeholders to review progress, share experiences, good practices and lessons learned on disaster risk reduction at the regional level.

The Platform seeks to build a consensus on the way forward to enable Member States to deliver on their commitments to the Sendai Framework and the African Union’s Programme of Action for its implementation in Africa, thereby contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the ‘Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want’.

Sessions of the Africa Regional Platform

8th Africa Regional Platform: 16-19 November 2021, Nairobi, Kenya
Theme: Towards Disaster Risk-Informed Development for a Resilient Africa in a COVID-19 Transformed World

The Government of the Republic of Kenya will host the Eighth Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Seventh High-Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction from 16-19 November, 2021. The events, are organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The Africa Regional Platform will be held under the over-arching theme: “Towards Disaster Risk-Informed Development for a Resilient Africa in a COVID-19 Transformed World”. The events on 16-18 November will be held virtually, while the High-level/Ministerial session on 19 November will be in hybrid format in Nairobi, Kenya.
[Consult the official website of the event]

7th Africa Regional Platform: 9-13 october 2018, Tunis, Tunisia
Theme: Towards Disaster Risk Informed and inclusive sustainable development

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) in collaboration with the League of Arab States and the African Union Commission and hosted by the government of Tunisia, organized the Africa-Arab Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction, which comprised of the 7th Africa Regional Platform and 6th High-Level Meeting and the 4th Arab Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. The Platform provided an opportunity for governments and all stakeholders to assess the progress and reaffirm commitment towards implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 in the two regions. The platform also enabled stakeholders and partners to foster cooperation across the regions towards disaster risk informed and inclusive sustainable development, while enabling them to share knowledge, experiences and best practices in advancing disaster risk reduction. [read more...]

6th Africa Regional Platform: 22-25 November 2016, Mauritius

Representatives of African countries, stakeholder groups and development and humanitarian partners gathered in Mauritius, 22-25 November 2016, for the 6th Session of the Africa Regional Platform, and the 5th High Level Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction. The Platform and High Level Meeting were hosted by the Government of Mauritius, in cooperation with the African Union Commission, the SADC Secretariat and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). Some of the objectives of the event were to review progress in the implementation of Sendai Framework in Africa and to discuss and agree on the Africa Programme of Action aligned with the Sendai Framework. [read more...]

5th Africa Regional Platform: 13-16 May 2014, Abuja, Nigeria
Theme: Prevent risk: build resilience

The Fifth Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and Third Ministerial Meeting was organised, under the leadership of the African Union Commission to develop the Africa contribution to the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (the Sendai Framework for DRR) to be considered at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and its Preparatory Committee meetings. It adopted a declaration which is a key instrument to frame the overall outcome of the African Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, including the validation of core elements of the Post-2015 Framework for DRR. [read more...]

4th Africa Regional Platform: 13-15 February 2013, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
Theme: Protect development gains and build resilience of African Nations

Over 250 participants from 45 African countries and partners gathered in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, 13-15 February 2013 for the 4th Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. Stakeholders from governments, intergovernmental regional organizations, bilateral and multilateral donors, United Nations, academic and technical institutions, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Government Organizations were joined by mayors and local governments, community leaders, parliamentarians, youth, media and the private sector – all sharing a common commitment to build the resilience of African communities and nations to disaster risk and adapt to a changing climate. [read more...]

More about Global and Regional Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction

Regional Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction are multi-stakeholder forums that were developed incrementally after the Kobe Conference 2005. While they have varying characteristics, they all share the same traits as dynamic forums for policy-makers, partners, experts and practitioners to announce initiatives, launch products, share information, promote campaigns, monitor progress and provide evidence about disaster risk reduction.

The Sendai Framework recognises the Global and Regional Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction as key mediums for its implementation, building on the pivotal role that they have played in supporting the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action. The Sendai Framework also underscores the need for the Global Platform and Regional Platforms to function as a coherent system of mechanisms in order to fully leverage the potential of collaboration across all stakeholders and sectors to provide guidance and support in implementation.

The function of the Global and Regional Platforms is identified in the Sendai Framework’s paragraphs 28 (c) and 49. In particular, they are expected to serve as instruments to:

• Forge partnerships;
• Periodically assess progress on implementation,
• Share practice and knowledge on disaster risk-informed policies, programmes and investments, including on development and climate issues;
• Promote the integration of disaster risk management in other relevant sectors;
• Contribute to the integrated and coordinated follow-up processes to United Nations conferences and summits.

Key documents

Africa and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

• Africa Common Position to the 2019 Global Platform for DRR, 2019 [EN]
• The Programme of Action(PoA) for the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030 in Africa, 2017 [EN]
• Africa Status Report for DRR, 2014 [EN] [FR]
• Africa Regional Strategy for DRR, 2004 [EN] [FR]
• Extended Programme of Action for the implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for DRR (2006-2015) [EN] [FR]

Disaster Risk Reduction Frameworks

• Sendai Framework for DRR (2015-2030) [EN] [FR] [More on Sendai Framework]
• Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015 [EN] [FR] [More on HFA]
• Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World, 1994 [EN]