Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
SRSG Kamal Kishore visited Kuwait in February 2025 for the Arab Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. In this article he reflects on the region’s challenges and successes.
The Arab States region is known for its extremes: some of the world’s harshest conditions, but also the famous hospitality of its inhabitants. It is home to some of the wealthiest nations, but also many amongst the least-developed. It faces serious disaster risks – especially slow onset disasters like drought and desertification – but is also a source of innovative solutions.
I spent the past week in Kuwait where disaster risk management policy makers and practitioners from 22 countries from the Arab States region came together for the 6th Arab Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. This multi-stakeholder forum was called to take stock of progress against the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and devise ways to accelerate implementation over the next five years. Much of the success can be attributed to the generosity and professionalism of the host country, the State of Kuwait. The excellent organization of the Platform was the result of a tight partnership between the Kuwait Fire Force, the League of Arab States, and UNDRR’s Regional Office for Arab States, lining up a programme that covered a wide array of important topics for the region.
During the five intense days of deliberations, I learned many things. In a region that is beset by many challenges, disaster risk reduction issues do not always spring to mind as the most urgent. However the region has seen some of the worst disasters over the last few years – including floods in Libya (2023), Oman (2024) and UAE (2024); earthquakes in Syria and Morocco (2023); and a string of severe droughts across much of the region.
To say that the Arab States region is highly diverse is to state the obvious. However, this diversity goes beyond the nature of disaster risk (varying hazards, exposure, and socio-economic vulnerability) to the diverse institutional approaches adopted by countries of the region to manage disaster risk. The United Arab Emirates, in particular, have shown great leadership in the region, as champions of urban resilience and hosts of the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference.
During the Regional Platform I had so many enlightening conversations – formal and informal – and participated in numerous events and discussions. Considering all that I learned, I have the following reflections:
The next leap
Most of the countries in the region have established strong national level institutions for disaster risk management (these are variously named Disaster Management Agencies, or Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authorities, and so on) and many have developed multi-year strategies for disaster risk management (for example, Morocco has a strategy for 2020 to 2030).
The next leap would be to pursue more integrative work with all development sectors. Interesting initiatives are already emanating from the region. For example: UNDRR’s Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) has helped develop and apply a resilience tool to aid the real estate sector in Dubai; and Libya and Iraq are modernizing the management of their irrigation dams.
Play closer attention to compounding risks
For example, sand and dust storms are getting more complex – in a region that has rapidly urbanized, not only are the impacts of these hazards evolving (such as the impacts on power transmission networks and renewable energy production), but these hazards are also combining with other threats such as soil and air pollution to create even bigger impacts.
ABCD (Align Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification) of Comprehensive Risk Management
This is a region where on-the-ground integration of the three Rio Conventions – Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Desertification – really comes alive. However, taking such a comprehensive approach requires that we align all of these interests across regional, national and sub-national institutions.
Blend tradition and innovation
The region is home to centuries of traditional wisdom to deal with extreme conditions and natural hazards – for example, this can be seen in how traditional housing and clothing have evolved to combat extreme heat. Traditional systems of finance such as Islamic Finance (and the notion of Zakat) provide a solid foundation for society’s financial resilience, particularly for the poorest. At the same time, many countries in the region are at the forefront of cutting-edge innovation – from advances in water management to the application of AI.
We can draw on both traditional wisdom and modern innovation to achieve disaster risk reduction objectives.
The energy and enthusiasm I witnessed during this past week gives me a sense of optimism that if we stay the course, this region can not only demonstrate on-the-ground disaster risk reduction results, but can also inspire action across the world.
The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, in June this year, will give an opportunity for all of the regions to share the outcomes of the Regional Platforms, and I look forward to the contributions arising from the Arab States Regional Platform.