Accelerating resilient development through risk-informed investment in Americas and the Caribbean

The regional meeting will feature high-level participation, including ministerial representatives and leaders of multilateral agencies, which will ensure international visibility for regional priorities—particularly around risk knowledge, financing for disaster risk reduction, and resilient infrastructure.

It will also serve as a space for both technical and political articulation in preparation for discussions at GP2025. This collaboration will enable the projection of a coherent and ambitious regional position aligned with the global 2030 targets.

Session objectives

General objective

• Strengthen the political and strategic articulation of the countries of the Americas and the Caribbean to advance regional priorities for disaster risk reduction and accelerate the implementation of the Sendai Framework for a more resilient region.

Specific objectives

• Position the region’s progress and challenges in disaster risk reduction (DRR) within the international agenda.
• Promote high-level political commitments on DRR financing and resilient infrastructure as fundamental pillars of sustainable development.

Outcomes

• Advancing Regional Priorities and Mobilizing Leadership: This event will offer a strategic overview and discussion of progress in implementing the Sendai Framework across the Americas and the Caribbean. It will open with the presentation of UNDER PRESSURE: Destressing the Future of Human Development in Latin America and the Caribbean Report by UNDP, with a focus on resilience as a pillar of sustainable development.

Ministerial Panel 1

Advancing Investment in Resilience through Financing for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean (in partnership with the World Bank)

General Objective:

Discuss progress and challenges in disaster risk financial management in the Americas and the Caribbean as a contribution to addressing Priority for Action 3, “Investing in DRR for resilience”.

Specific Objectives:

• Present good practices implemented in disaster risk financial management in countries in the region.
• Identify challenges faced by countries in implementing strategies and instruments for disaster risk financial management that contribute to financial resilience to disasters, improved public spending efficiency, and national budget protection.
• Identify key messages that contribute to the reflections and discussions of sessions related to Priority for Action 3.

Expected Results:

• Regional commitment to increase investment in DRR for sustainable development.
• Identification of main gaps and opportunities for disaster risk financial management in the region.
• Positioning regional leadership globally on topics related to DRR financing and investment.

Ministerial Panel 2

Ministerial Panel on Infrastructure Resilience: Advancing Risk-Informed Investments for Sustainable Development in the Americas and the Caribbean (in partnership with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure - CDRI)

General Objective:

This panel will convene ministers to discuss infrastructure resilience challenges for the region and to identify strategies and practices for enhancing infrastructure resilience through risk informed decision-making. The session will highlight policy approaches, financing mechanisms, and partnerships that drive resilient infrastructure development with a particular focus on critical sectors such as energy, transport, water and social infrastructure.

Key themes:

• Policy, governance and financing for resilient infrastructure: Strengthening institutional frameworks, regulatory mechanisms, intersectoral coordination and financial instruments to integrate resilience into infrastructure development and protection through multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) and other technologies.
• Data for systemic risk and infrastructure resilience: Leveraging data for addressing cascading and interconnected risks through comprehensive risk assessments and adaptive infrastructure planning.
• Advancing urban resilience: Showcasing urban initiatives to increase resilience through the implementation of Nature-based Infrastructure Solutions (NbIS), MHEWS and other Ministerial Panel 2 technologies to protect critical infrastructure functions.
• Regional cooperation for infrastructure resilience: Promoting the development of regional platforms to strengthen infrastructure resilience through financial, technological, technical, data and knowledge cooperation within the region.  

Expected Results:

• Identification of opportunities/ strategies for regional cooperation to mainstream infrastructure resilience.
• Key priorities for resilient infrastructure to inform advocacy in the GP25, Financing for Development Conference, COP30 and other global events through an outcome document to inform reginal processes.