Arab States strengthen recovery readiness through regional exchange on risk-informed recovery
The Arab region is experiencing increasingly complex and interconnected risks driven by climate change, rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, and protracted crises. Over the past decade, countries across the region have faced devastating earthquakes, floods, droughts, storms, conflict-related destruction, and large-scale displacement, placing unprecedented pressure on governments, communities, infrastructure, and public services.
While significant investments have strengthened disaster preparedness, emergency response and early warning systems, recovery planning often begins only after disasters strike. As disasters become more frequent and severe, strengthening recovery readiness has become an essential component of disaster risk reduction and resilient development. By preparing institutional, financial and technical arrangements in advance, countries can recover faster, protect development gains, reduce future risks, and build back better.
"Recovery does not begin after a disaster. The quality, speed, and inclusiveness of recovery are shaped long before an event occurs, through the policies, institutional arrangements, financing mechanisms, coordination structures, capacities, and partnerships that are already in place," said Sandra Amlang, Chief of the UNDRR Regional Office for Arab States. "When countries and cities are better prepared for recovery, they are better positioned to restore essential services, protect vulnerable groups, reduce future risk, and ensure that recovery is not simply about returning to the previous situation, but about building back better and more resiliently."
Against this backdrop, representatives from across the Arab States convened for a regional webinar to strengthen recovery readiness by exploring practical tools, implementation experiences, and regional good practices for risk-informed disaster recovery.
Organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the virtual webinar brought together National Sendai Framework Focal Points, representatives of national disaster risk management authorities, relevant ministries, and local government representatives to strengthen preparedness for recovery before disasters occur.
The webinar introduced UNDRR's Recovery Readiness Assessment Tool, providing participants with an opportunity to exchange experiences, identify common challenges, and explore how the methodology can be adapted and applied across the diverse national contexts of the Arab States.
Promoting recovery readiness before disasters strike
The webinar highlighted the importance of integrating recovery readiness into disaster risk reduction and development planning before disasters occur, enabling governments to restore essential services, rebuild infrastructure, strengthen institutions, and reduce future risk through coordinated and risk-informed recovery planning.
Participants were introduced to the purpose, structure and added value of the Recovery Readiness Assessment Tool, which enables countries and cities to assess their preparedness for recovery, identify institutional and operational gaps, and prioritize actions to strengthen recovery systems before disasters happen.
From assessment to implementation
UNDRR presented the methodology for implementing the Recovery Readiness Assessment Tool, including its key assessment components, stakeholder engagement process, implementation roadmap, and practical application at national and local levels.
Building on outcomes from previous regional consultations, discussions explored how countries can institutionalize recovery readiness within national disaster risk reduction strategies, strengthen coordination among institutions responsible for preparedness, response and recovery, and align recovery planning with broader resilience and sustainable development objectives.
Learning from regional experiences
Participants exchanged experiences and lessons learned from different national and regional contexts, highlighting practical approaches to strengthening recovery preparedness and institutional coordination.
Discussions also identified opportunities to tailor the Recovery Readiness Assessment Tool to national priorities across the Arab States while identifying areas where additional technical assistance, capacity development and peer learning could further support implementation.
Strengthening resilience through recovery readiness
The webinar concluded with an interactive discussion on the feasibility of implementing the Recovery Readiness Assessment Tool and the next steps for advancing recovery preparedness across the Arab region.
Participants reaffirmed that investing in recovery readiness before disasters occur is essential to protecting lives, livelihoods and development gains. By strengthening institutional capacities, improving coordination, and integrating recovery planning into broader disaster risk reduction efforts, Arab States can accelerate recovery, reduce future disaster risk, and build more resilient, inclusive and sustainable societies.
As countries across the region continue to face increasingly complex and cascading risks, strengthening recovery readiness will play a critical role in ensuring that recovery is faster, more coordinated, and contributes to long-term resilience rather than simply restoring what existed before.