Global leaders gather in Kobe for high-level policy dialogue on resilient recovery
Kobe, Japan, 18 September 2025 - Senior government officials, UN leaders, and experts from across the world convened today in Kobe for the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Resilient Recovery, marking the 20th anniversary of the International Recovery Platform (IRP). The three-day event is co-organized by the IRP, the Cabinet Office of Japan, the Hyogo Prefectural Government, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and the Asia Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC).
The Dialogue comes at a pivotal moment, building on outcomes of the World Resilient Recovery Conference (WRRC) held in June, which adopted the "Priority Actions to Enhance Readiness for Resilient Recovery." These ten priority actions -ranging from governance and financing to localizing recovery-set the roadmap for accelerating progress on Priority 4 of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
Opening the Dialogue, Ms. Paola Albrito, Director of UNDRR, underscored the urgency of moving from commitment to action:
"Every disaster is a tragedy, but also an opportunity to build back better. To accelerate the Sendai Framework in its final five years, readiness for resilient recovery must become standard practice. The Priority Actions provide the compass, and this Dialogue is about turning that compass into concrete strategies and commitments".
Over three days, participants exchanged knowledge and generated practical solutions for embedding recovery readiness into policies, financing systems, and institutional arrangements. Training workshops and plenary sessions showcased tools such as the Recovery Readiness Framework and Assessment Tool, already being piloted with several governments.
A central theme of the Dialogue is the role of political commitment and partnerships in advancing recovery readiness. UNDRR announced that under its 2026-2030 Strategic Framework, recovery readiness will be one of four catalytic priorities. The office also pledged to help transform the IRP into a more delivery-focused mechanism, with practical tools, training, and tailored national support.
In response to Member States' request for IRP to strengthen support-through capacity development, readiness assessments, resource mobilization, technical assistance, and policy guidance-a transition was proposed from a knowledge-sharing platform to a resource-sharing platform, with greater emphasis on country-level implementation. The need to engage additional partners to sustain this collective shift in focus was also highlighted.
The event also underscored Japan's long-standing leadership in advancing resilient recovery.
The State Minister for Disaster Management, Mr. HATOYAMA Jiro, shared Japan's experience to advance resilient recovery:
"Japan has continued to experience numerous disasters, from the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January last year.[…] Each time, efforts have been made in the recovery process to further strengthen resilience against disasters and to achieve "building back better" so that the same damage will not be repeated. This concept is a fundamental one for disaster risk reduction, highlighted as Priority Action 4 in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and as disasters become more frequent and severe around the world, its importance continues to grow."
Kobe and Hyogo Prefecture, thirty years after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, have become global reference points for how societies can turn tragedy into a model of renewal and resilience. Japan's pioneering experience in building back better has inspired international frameworks, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and continues to shape global policy and practice through the work of the IRP. Hosting this Dialogue during Creative Reconstruction Week and in the context of Expo 2025 Osaka underscored not only Kobe's commitment to disaster risk reduction, but also Japan's leadership and commitment to sharing its lessons, strengthening global-local connections, and promoting innovation in disaster recovery worldwide.
The IRP, whose secretariat is based in Kobe, Japan, will carry forward the outcomes, ensuring that lessons from Kobe continue to inspire a more resilient future worldwide.
The Dialogue took place during its Creative Reconstruction Week and in the context of Expo 2025 Osaka, offering a timely opportunity to reinforce global-local connections in disaster recovery.