The Philippines will be the host country for the 2024 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, to be held in Manila from 14 to 17 October next year. The launch of the biennial conference coincides with the celebration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Officials of the United Nations led by Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, H.E. Mami Mizutori, joined Philippine government officials, led by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga in formally launching the 2024 APMCDRR.

Representatives from the national and local government, private sector, academe and scientific institutions, civil society, international development partners, and other stakeholder groups also joined the formal launch event.

Convened by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction is the primary regional platform which brings together global leaders to monitor, review and enhance cooperation for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 at the regional level.

"The APMCDRR 2024, hosted by the Philippines, is the first conference in the region after the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework, from which a long list of challenges emerged. For example, there is this issue on how we can better localize risk reduction and engage local governments — this will be discussed during the conference in Manila," SRSG Mizutori noted.

"The Philippines, as a hazard-prone country, is a role model for the region with its commitment to disaster risk reduction and management," SRSG Mizutori added.