Djibouti launches national consultation on revising disaster risk reduction strategy and action plan
2 December 2024, The two-day National Consultation Workshop on revising Djibouti's National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and its Action Plan concluded successfully in Djibouti city, marking a key step in the country's commitment to building resilience against disasters and climate change.
The workshop, organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior in Djibouti, gathered representatives from national institutions, UN agencies, and regional and international partners. Together, they worked to align the new DRR strategy with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris Agreement.
The opening session set the tone for the workshop, emphasizing the urgency of addressing disaster risks amid a rapidly changing climate. In her remarks, Nora Achkar, Chief of UNDRR ROAS, highlighted, “Our region faces devastating disasters exacerbated by climate change. The success of this strategy lies in its participatory approach, among all national, local and relevant stakeholders, ensuring no one is left behind in development efforts.”
Like other least-developed countries, the Republic of Djibouti is highly vulnerable to extreme climate events such as droughts, floods, and urban fires, which are among the most recurrent and deadly, causing severe human and economic losses. The main responsibility of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction is to develop and regularly review national strategies for disaster risk reduction while ensuring their integration into national, sectoral, and local development policies, planning, and programs.
The workshop provided a platform for participants to discuss strategic objectives, develop an action plan, and finalize terms of reference for establishing a National Multi-Stakeholder DRR Platform. These elements are vital to improving risk governance and ensuring the strategy’s effective implementation at national and local levels.
Key highlights and outcomes
The workshop marked significant progress in updating Djibouti’s DRR strategy by enhancing the integration of early warning systems, climate change adaptation, and risk-informed development planning. Through collaborative working group sessions, stakeholders worked on a comprehensive action plan aligned with the Sendai Framework's priorities and identified key steps to operationalize the strategy. Additionally, the event fostered stronger partnerships among government entities, technical experts, and development partners, laying the groundwork for a unified approach to disaster risk reduction and improved governance at national and local levels.
The outcomes of the workshop will inform the finalization of Djibouti’s updated DRR strategy and its formal adoption. With this milestone, Djibouti reaffirms its leadership in fostering a resilient future for its people.
UNDRR and its partners remain committed to supporting Djibouti as it translates this strategic vision into action, ensuring that resilience is at the heart of development planning.