JOINT MEDIA ADVISORY
FRIDAYS OF THE COMMISSION

What: Fridays of the Commission

Theme: “The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 - The Future of Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in Africa”

The sessions will specifically focus on the following subthemes:
• AU Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction (AUC-DREA)
• Outcome of Sendai Framework (UNISDR)
• Coherence between the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030 and other AU processes: AU Disaster Management Policy (DPA) and the AU CAP on Humanitarian effectiveness – AU DPA
• Key element of effective disaster response: lesson learned from the past responses (OCHA)
• Role of Women in Disaster Risk Management (Gender Directorate)

Who: The event is a collaborative initiative between The Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Department of Political Affairs, the UNOCHA Liaison Office to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

When: 3 July 2015

Time: From 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Where: African Union Headquarters, New Conference Centre, Small Conference Hall 1

Participants:
• Staff Members of the African Union Commission
• African diplomats at post in Addis Ababa,
• Researchers, and Academics and Think-Tanks in Addis Ababa,
• Members of the UN Liaison Team to the African Union,
• Members of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Sub-cluster (RCM)
• All other interested Parties
• NCPA (NEPAD Coordination and Planning Agency)

Objectives: The event aims:

- To popularize the Sendai Framework among a wide range of stockholders and discuss key follow-up actions to ensure effective implementation of the Framework across the Africa;
- To discuss key follow-up actions to ensure effective implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 across Africa;
- To reflect on the practical gender roles and the strategic gains for women and girls in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

Expected Output: The event seeks to create awareness and generate commitment for effective implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 on the Continent.

Background:

Africa is confronted by a range of natural and human-induced hazards and associated risks and disasters. Poverty, climate change, livelihood insecurity, and unplanned urbanization are among the drivers of risk influencing the level of resilience of people, communities, countries, and assets and amplifying the impacts of disasters on the continent. Despite global and regional efforts to address disasters and disaster risks, the human and economic costs of disasters have been increasing. It is in this context that Africa participated in the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction - WCDRR (14-18 March 2015, Sendai, Japan).
In Sendai, Africa was represented by a large constituency with several Heads of State, ministers and representatives of Member States, besides civil society and academic organisations and development partners.
The WCDRR culminated in adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, a successor to the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015. Throughout the deliberations of the Sendai Conference, Africa delegates dwelt on the outcome of the 5th Africa Regional Platform and 3rd High-Level Meeting for Disaster Risk Reduction held in Abuja (Nigeria) on 13-16 May 2014, the summary statement of which articulated Africa’s contribution to the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster risk Reduction. Africa’s contribution drew on assessed progress towards the implementation of the African Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and Program of Action for the implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2006-2015).
In the course of this year 2015, dedicated by the 24th AU Summit to “Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”, the African Union and its partners will participate in milestone events and processes including: the adoption of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), the Third Conference on Financing for Development (FFD3). At the same time, the African Union will formulate a Common Position of the World Humanitarian Summit (Istanbul, 2016) and agree with the United Nations on new cooperation framework, (the Framework for a renewed UN/AU Partnership on Africa’s Integration and Development Agendas –PAIDA) successor to the AU- Ten Year Capacity Building Programme.
In such context, this Dedicated Fridays of the Commission- Conference /Debate will bring together the African Union Commission and its partners to reflect on the following key questions:
1. What is specific to Africa in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030?
2. How will the African Union partner with the United Nations and the other international actors to strengthen its capacities to prevent and address natural and climate-induced disasters in Africa between 2015 and 2030?
3. What roles for women and gains for women empowerment in the implementation of the Sendai Disaster Risk Reduction Framework 2015-2030 in Africa?
Media representatives are invited to cover the meeting.

For any inquiry, please contact:
Dampha Almani | Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture | African Union Commission | Email: DamphaA@africa-union.org

Ledet Teka | United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs-Liaison Office to the African Union and ECA | Email: Tekal@un.org

Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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