Australia hosts Disaster Risk Reduction Conference

Australia will host the 2020 AsianMinisterial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR).

The conference provides an opportunityto share Australian experiences and learn from our neighbours, increasing ourcollective understanding of disaster risks and working together to strengthengovernance structures and develop more resilient infrastructure.

As Australians, we are all too familiarwith the disruption and devastation caused by drought, bushfires, cyclones andfloods. The Indo-Pacific is the most disaster-prone region in the world. Lastyear, six of the world's 10 nations most affected by natural disasters were inour region.

Australia has a proud history ofsupporting countries in our region to prepare for, respond to, and recover fromdisasters. Australia's 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper recognises the need toinvest in regional disaster preparedness and resilience to help save lives,minimise economic loss and enable communities to recover faster.

In April this year, the AustralianGovernment established the National Resilience Taskforce within the Departmentof Home Affairs to lead nation-wide reforms to reduce the impact and financialburden of disasters on our communities and economy.

The 2020 conference will bring togethergovernment, business, researchers and communities to discuss action on reducingthe humanitarian, economic and environmental costs of disasters in our region.

Further information on AMCDRR can befound on the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reductionwebsite.