VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Head of Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB), Lieut. Gen. Suharyanto, concluded the GP2022 - 

The 7th Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2022) outlined seven main recommendations as the outcome of its meetings at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC). These recommendations were named as the Bali Agenda for Resilience.

In her closing remarks, Megawati Soekarnoputri, the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia, urged the global community to strengthen solidarity in facing ecological disasters.

"Uncontrolled natural resource exploitation threatens human civilization. And we often overlook it,” said Megawati via zoom.

Megawati called for the world to strengthen the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and partnerships between meteorological agencies. She highlighted the importance of this effort to prepare the world against any future disaster.

Meanwhile, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for DRR Mami Mizutori emphasized that her agency does not believe in “natural disaster”. UNDRR sees disasters strike because humans allow them to happen.

"The good news is that, because human decisions make disasters worse, human decisions can also reverse this trend, reduce the effect of harm and disasters when they strike," said Mizutori.

UNDRR appreciates Indonesia

Mizutori expressed her appreciation for diversity and inclusion at the GP2022 meetings in Bali. She was pleased to see the increasing number of participants with disabilities compared to the last meeting.

"I am very proud that this Global Platform truly reflects the people-centred approach of the Sendai Framework, and we have people from, of course, from all over the world," said Mizutori.

"Once again I have to thank Indonesia for this. And I believe that this will be one of the most beautiful legacies that we can leave here at the center of this conference," she concluded.

Elham Youssefian, the Inclusive Humanitarian Action and DRR Advisor, added that the whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach are instrumental in reducing disaster risk.

"However, by a whole-of-society approach, we mean all people, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, disability, customary status, skin color, religion, poverty, economic status, or refugee status," Youssefian explained.

"And by a whole government approach, we mean that every sector of government should be involved and have a plan specifically for how they want to be involved and what they want to do," Youssefian said.

Bali Agenda for Resilience

Indonesia has encouraged the world to increase international disaster cooperation during and beyond GPDRR 2022. The future international collaboration must be based on culture of disaster prepreadness and disaster education.

The 7th GP2022 raised the theme of "From Risk to Resilience: Towards Sustainable Development for All in a COVID-19 Transformed World." As the host, Indonesia translated the theme into a greater agenda of “Strengthening Partnerships Towards Sustainable Resilience.”

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Thursday (26/05/22), the Head of Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB), Lieut. Gen. Suharyanto, concluded the GP2022 by emphasizing President Joko Widodo’s point during the opening ceremony.

"President Widodo encourages the international community to increase cooperation in disaster risk reduction through collaboration on culture of disaster preparedness and disaster education. Second, investing in science and technology," said Suharyanto during the closing ceremony of GP2022 at BNDCC, on May 27.

This Global Platform calls countries to expedite the implementation of the Sendai Framework in reducing disaster risk and impacts.

Suharyanto added that the main recommendation is mainstreaming the “Think Resilience” approach into all decision-making processes, investment, and regulations. Furthermore, he applauded “the Seven Bali Agenda for Resilience.”

The first recommendation is that disaster risk reduction needs to be integrated into primary development policies, financing strategy, legislation, and post-2030 sustainable development goals.

Second, a systemic reform is needed to compare the actual disaster-caused losses to investments in disaster risk reduction.

Third, the Platform, which took place between the COP 26 and the upcoming COP 27, indicates that the current greenhouse gas emissions have outpaced climate mitigation efforts.

The Platform calls on governments to honor commitments made during the Glasgow Agreement to increase climate financing and support climate adaptation. The world must double disaster risk reduction efforts to adress climate emergencies while meeting the climate targets.

Fourth, the world must advance a participatory and human rights-based approach to disaster risk reduction. We need to ensure the concept of "Nothing About Us Without Us" is in place.

"We need to reinforce our commitment to community-based approach and community-driven disaster risk reduction and support local wisdom in building resilience," said Suharyanto.

Fifth, the Platform demands everyone on earth to be covered by any early warning system within the next five years, as suggested by the United Nations’ Secretary General.

"Better coordination between stakeholders will strengthen the multi-hazard early warning system, especially in small island developing countries and African countries," said Suharyanto.

Sixth, the world must learn from the COVID-19 pandemic before the window of opportunity closes. We need to have an adaptive and responsive disaster risk management system with multi-stakeholder collaboration at its core. Emphaty, solidarity, and togetherness must also be put forward to overcome global injustice.

Seventh, the world must be committed to report the progress of the Sendai Framework targets in comprehensive and systematic manner. This is instrumental in understanding the existing challenges and obstacles.

"This is critical for the implementation and accelerating efforts to achieve the intended targets by 2030," concluded Suharyanto.

The 7th GPDRR was officially concluded on Friday (27/5). Switzerland will be the next GPDRR hosting country in 2025. Switzerland’s Head of Humanitarian Aid Department, Manuel Bessler, attended the closing ceremony and tated that his country will learn from Indonesia in organizing the conference.

"I am delighted to announce that the 8th GPDRR will take place again in Geneva in 2025," concluded Bessler//VOI