Joint media release: $9 million to boost United Nations disaster resilience efforts

The Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for International Development and the Pacific
Senator The Hon Jenny McAllister, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy

The Australian Government will provide $9 million to the United Nations Office of Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) as part of a new three-year partnership to help nations prepare for the impacts of disasters and climate change.

This is in addition to the Albanese Government’s earlier announcement of an additional $50 million to support regional disaster risk reduction through a new phase of the DisasterREADY program.

The new support was announced by Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Jenny McAllister, at the 9th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Brisbane, being attended by more than 3000 delegates from more than 40 countries.

“Pacific island countries are among the most vulnerable in the world to the impacts of disaster and climate change and Australia is working in partnership with the Pacific family to confront this important challenge,” Assistant Minister McAllister said.

The partnership underscores Australia’s commitment to international action to work with our regional partners to address the climate crisis. 

Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, said the commitment comes at a crucial time for the Asia-Pacific, which is the most disaster-prone region in the world.

“The United Nations is a critically important partner in global efforts to reduce risks, save lives, and minimise the economic and social damage of natural disasters and climate change in our region,” Minister Conroy said.

“The time to act is now as extreme weather events are intensifying and becoming more frequent in our region.”

The Australian Government is also providing funding to support Pacific island countries to undertake their national reviews ahead of the Sendai midterm review in 2023.

The UNDRR is responsible for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, and supports investment in resilient development, whilst ensuring efforts are gender sensitive and disability inclusive.

This builds on the Albanese Government’s commitments to work with Pacific island countries and Indonesia on climate resilience by establishing the new Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership and the Australia-Indonesia Climate Resilience and Infrastructure Partnership.

Note: Imagery from the 9th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction is available on the UNDRR Flickr account.