ASEAN joint statement on strengthening resilience to disasters for the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022

WE, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) stand in solidarity on the occasion of the Seventh Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2022) on 23-28 May 2022 in Bali, Indonesia;

ACKNOWLEDGING the increasingly complex disaster riskscape in the region due to the multi-layered compounding natural hazards and interconnected risks associated with growing population, rapid urbanisation, impacts of climate change, and other crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, among others;

REALISING the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 for a peaceful, stable, and resilientCommunity with the enhanced capacity to respond effectively to threats and challenges in the region;

EMPHASISING our commitment towards enhancing disaster resilience in the region through the effective implementation of ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) and its Work Programmes, and the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) and its Implementation Plan which serves as the consolidated exit strategy from the COVID-19 crisis;

REAFFIRMING our common desire and collective will to advance ASEAN’s joint response to disasters, in line with the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region, and other relevant commitments and declarations from other ASEAN sectors.

RECALLING our resolve to realise the ASEAN Vision 2025 on Disaster Management to move the implementation of AADMER forward to a people-centred, people-oriented, financially sustainable, and networked approach by 2025, as well as to achieve ASEAN’s aspiration to be a global leader in disaster management by 2025;

REITERATING our determination to contribute to the implementation of the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration on the Strategic and Holistic Initiative to Link ASEAN Responses to Emergencies and Disasters (ASEAN SHIELD); ALSO

RECALLING the importance of renewing our commitment to forge a more resilient future through the implementation of the Declaration on Institutionalising the Resilience of ASEAN and its Communities and Peoples to Disasters and Climate Change;TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION the recommendations from the ASEAN Disaster Resilience Outlook: Preparing for a Future Beyond 2025 on the mid-term progress in achieving the ASEAN Vision 2025 on Disaster Management toward attaining the set goals by 2025 to build a more resilient and prosperous future, and the ASEAN Regional Framework on Protection, Gender and Inclusion in Disaster Management 2021-2025 (ARF-PGI);

REAFFIRMING our support to the implementation of Asia-Pacific Action Plan 2021-2024 for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, aimed at accelerating Asia-Pacific’s transformation to risk-informed development, by treating disaster risk reduction as a cross-cutting theme andby increasing investment in prevention, risk reduction, disaster preparedness, climate change adaptation and anticipatory approaches to enhance resilience, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal by 2030;

ACKNOWLEDGING WITH HIGH APPRECIATION the leadership shown by Indonesia, through co-organising the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022 (GP2022), in the strengthening of international and regional cooperation to advance the capacity of nations, communities and people in disaster management to build resilience and promote sustainable development;REAFFIRMING our strong support to the implementation of the Outcome Documents of the GP2022;

DO HEREBY AGREE TO:

1. STRENGTHEN ASEAN’s capability to adapt to and recover from multi-hazards through the implementation of ASEAN SHIELD and advancing cross-sectoral collaboration and intra-regional collaborative network with relevant centres or institutions in ASEAN and beyond, in developing early warning systems and strategic foresight for disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness and capability and capacity building; deliver speedy and effective responses to disasters, and conduct resilient recovery through build-back-better.
2. ENHANCE engagement and partnerships with all relevant ASEAN sectors to strengthen contribution towards the effective implementation of ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF), including efforts to address emerging threats and pandemics such as COVID-19, accelerate inclusive, sustainable, and resilient recovery process, and enhance ASEAN preparedness to respond to all hazards and future health emergencies.  
3. STRENGTHEN multi-layered and cross-sectoral disaster risk governance to enhance disaster resilience through applying inclusive, diverse, polycentric and collaborative and networked approaches, which involve all relevant stakeholders at the local, provincial, national, regional and international levels, and leave no-one behind including women, children, youth, elderly, the poor, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups
4. CONTINUE to ensure inclusion and integration of disaster resilience and management agenda into sustainable development and climate adaptation policies and strategies at regional, national, local, and community levels
5. FURTHER ENHANCE national and local capacity in undertaking measures to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters, including empowering community in disaster risk reduction and building community resilience, strengthening digital literacy for disaster awareness and remote response and programming, forging stronger collaboration with Community-Based Organisations, and developing an active network of supportive research institutes, universities, think tanks and other relevant development agencies/institutions.
6. FURTHER INCREASE financial resiliency to deal with disasters through continuing building ex-ante risk financing and risk transfer capabilities of ASEAN Member States through ASEAN Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (ADRFI) programme, strengthening Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility (SEADRIF) as a regional facility to provide climate and disaster risk insurance for participating Member States, enhancing resiliency of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and broadening the base for financing and resource mobilization of existing ASEAN disaster funding mechanisms, including the ASEAN Disaster Management and Emergency Response (ADMER) Fund.
7. FURTHER ENCOURAGE people’s contribution and a whole-of-society approach in supporting post-disaster recovery efforts, exemplified by the successful construction of the ASEAN Village in CentralSulawesi, Indonesia as an ASEAN post-disaster recovery project supported by the people of ASEAN and other multi-stakeholders, and look forward to the establishment of a mechanism to enable the peoples of ASEAN to contribute to natural disaster assistance in the region.
8. INTENSIFY EFFORTS in utilising science, technology and innovation (STI) in building disaster resilience in the region, including through promoting the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning and big data, satellite and space-based data to forecast disaster risks; promote open data and data sharing; enhance early warning systems; facilitate more proactive, anticipatory approach to disaster management as well as enhance accuracy and speed in emergency response and recovery.
9. ADVANCE infrastructure resilience to reduce damage caused by disasters to critical infrastructure and mitigate disruption to basic services, and ensure the continued operations of critical networks such as utilities, transport and telecommunications, when disasters strike.
10. PROMOTE the implementation of ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) in building disaster resilience in the region, which include protection, restoration, and sustainable management of ecosystems and the environment to obtain nature’s services to reduce disaster risk by mitigating hazards and by increasing livelihood resilience, with the aims to achieve benefits as climate change adaptation and to support sustainable development.
11. FORGE stronger partnerships and collaboration with ASEAN’s partners and friends, including, but not limited to ASEAN dialogue partners, sectoral dialogue partners, development partners, AADMER Partnership Group, UN Agencies, RCRC movement, non-government organisations, multilateral financial institutions, think tanks and academia, and private and philanthropic sector to tap their expertise and resources in enhancing disaster resilience in the region.
12. REALISE the ASEAN vision to be a global leader in disaster management through exchanging and sharing ASEAN knowledge, experience and best practices in strengthening disaster resilience with international communities; contribute to global efforts on disaster resilience, including integrating disaster risk management into sustainable development and climate action; and facilitating cooperation with other regional organisations that nurtures a more anticipatory and forward-looking approach to disaster management, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.