Arab countries strengthen disaster-risk knowledge and governance through South-South exchange
As Arab countries face increasingly complex and interconnected risks, including floods, wildfires, droughts, coastal hazards, industrial emergencies and climate-related extremes, strengthening national risk knowledge and disaster-risk governance has become essential for protecting communities, infrastructure and development gains. Many countries across the region are advancing national risk registers, disaster-loss databases, early-warning systems and resilience strategies, but differences in institutional capacity, data availability and governance arrangements continue to create challenges. South-South cooperation provides an important mechanism through which countries can exchange practical experience, adapt successful approaches and strengthen national capacities through peer learning.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Regional Office for Arab States convened a three-day South-South exchange workshop in Tripoli, Libya, in cooperation with Libya’s National Center for Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management and the World Food Programme. The workshop brought together government representatives, national disaster-management authorities, technical experts and practitioners from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Somalia and other Arab countries. Representatives of the United Nations system and national institutions also participated, creating a regional platform for exchanging knowledge on disaster-risk reduction, governance and resilience. The programme was held from 27 to 29 July 2026.
The workshop focused on strengthening national systems for understanding and managing disaster risk. Participants examined Libya’s progress in developing its National Risk Register and exchanged regional experience from Bahrain and other countries on the preparation, governance and application of national risk registers. Sessions also addressed disaster-loss and damage databases, integrated data platforms and UNDRR’s DELTA Resilience disaster-tracking system, highlighting the importance of reliable, accessible and interoperable risk information for planning, investment and decision-making.
Discussions extended beyond risk data to examine national and local disaster-risk governance, multi-hazard risk assessments, Sendai Framework monitoring and public reporting, and the development of national disaster-management and climate-resilience strategies. Participants shared experiences related to institutional coordination, evidence-based decision-making, national and local disaster-risk reduction platforms and the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative. Regional examples demonstrated how stronger governance arrangements can connect national policy with local implementation and support more coordinated action among government institutions, technical agencies and communities.
The exchange also addressed multi-hazard early-warning systems, anticipatory action, impact-based forecasting, food security and recovery readiness. Presentations highlighted Libya’s emerging multi-hazard early-warning system, the regional implementation of the Early Warnings for All initiative and country experiences from Egypt, Lebanon, Oman and Somalia. Participants also considered how disaster and climate risks affect food security and how recovery-readiness frameworks and implementation tools can help institutions prepare for resilient recovery before disasters occur.
Through technical presentations, peer exchange and discussions, the workshop strengthened cooperation among Arab countries and supported Libya’s efforts to enhance its national disaster-risk management systems. The event aimed to translate regional experience into practical actions for improving risk information, institutional coordination, early warning, preparedness and recovery planning. By promoting South-South learning and cooperation, the workshop contributed to implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Early Warnings for All initiative and broader regional priorities for risk-informed and resilient development.