Two United Nations agencies, the Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at “strengthening collaboration between the two agencies’ efforts to promote disaster resilient cities.”

Dr. Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, said: “Improving the resilience of our urban areas is a key focus area for UN-Habitat given the increasing number of people in towns and cities who are vulnerable to disasters, both natural and man-made. We are pleased that through this agreement we strengthen the working partnership between UNISDR and UN-Habitat and commit to growing the positive joint work already taking place around the world to enhance urban resilience.”

The two agencies have been collaborating for over ten years, the MoU; however, will allow both agencies greater joint input on their various projects. Among them are the UN-Habitat’s World Urban Campaign and Urban Resilience Indexing Program, and the UNISDR’s Making Cities Resilient Campaign.

The announcement on the UNISDR website noted that: “In all joint initiatives, UN-Habitat will develop modular training packages, guidance and tools to assist urban and local governments in ensuring resilience towards disasters, and assisting cities to achieve the goals of the campaigns.”

Margareta Wahlström of the UNISDR said: “Closer collaboration between the UN-Habitat and UNISR is a sure sign that urban resilience and disaster risk reduction have gained critical momentum with the support of both agencies. We can sharpen the focus even more on what needs to be done through this new working partnership.”