Switzerland participated in the VII Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean: “Building resilient economies”. Jamaica hosted the 2021 Forum, becoming the first Caribbean country to host a regional platform. The Seventh Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean (PR21) was chaired by the Government of Jamaica and co-organized together with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) – Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

With the slogan “Building Resilient Economies”, the seventh regional platform sought to raise awareness of the growing economic and human cost of disasters in the Americas and the Caribbean, including the particular challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The platform had three objectives:

1. To present and analyse the region’s progress on the comprehensive and inclusive implementation of the Sendai Framework and its targets, identifying key areas of success and areas which need coordinated assistance.
2. Taking into account the risks and impacts of COVID-19 and other disasters, to review the Regional Action Plan to assess adjustments needed, define regional priorities for the next two years and identify mechanisms to promote the integration of disaster risk management within and across sectors.
3. Mindful of the systemic nature of risk and the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, climate change and other complex risks in the region, to take stock of recovery efforts and recommend strategies to achieve resilient economies and build sustainable and inclusive risk-informed development.

Switzerland supported the organisation of the seventh Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction – Jamaica 2021. It played an active part in the Innovation Platform section, and with its partners in the Americas, the Caribbean and the Andes+ designed an innovative and fully interactive virtual forum.

The Swiss Stand had its own schedule with live activities from 1 – 3 November, and used presentations, panels, learning labs and pre-recorded material to describe SDC’s regional experience in programmes and projects across the continent with a variety of public and private sector stakeholders.

SDC divided the schedule into four thematic blocks:

The Stand presented the initiatives SDC promotes and encourages to fulfill its commitment to reducing poverty and leaving no one behind, mitigating global risks, and shaping globalisation to promote resilient development.

The Swiss Stand will be on-line for the next two months. SDC hopes you will be able to visit it and watch each of the presentations, panels, learning labs and videos presented over the three days.

Resources:

• Factsheet Resilient Investments Panel (Spanish)
• Factsheet Early Warning System Panel (English/Spanish)
• Factsheet Forest Fires Panel (Spanish)
• Factsheet Learning Lab Measuring Resilience to Floods (Spanish)
• Factsheet Learning Lab MyResilience (Spanish)

Useful links:
PR21 website
FS GIAR
Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Aid Programme Brochure