The Croatian coastal city of Dubrovnik is the host to disaster and risk experts from 27 European countries over a three-day period from October 1-3. The goal of the 3^rd Session of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction is to begin formulating a successor to the world’s first global agreement on reducing disaster risk, the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities which expires in 2015. This is similar to the recently concluded 4^th Session of Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction held in Noumea, New Caledonia, which also had as one its goals the commencement of work on a successor to the Hyogo Framework.

The Croatia meeting is jointly organized by the Croatian National Protection and Rescue Directorate, the Council of Europe’s European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement and the United Office for Disaster Risk Reduction in Europe (UNISDR-Europe). Croatia is also the current chair of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction, an organization established in 2009 to provide coordination for the implementation of the Hyogo Framework.

Margareta Wahlström, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, who is attending the meeting said: “Europe was slow to get started with the disaster risk reduction agenda but this has completely turned around over the last three years with the creation of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction and the establishment of 21 National Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction to coordinate disaster management and reduction at the national level.

Ms. Wahlström continued: “Europe has a major role to play in shaping the post-2015 international framework agreement on disaster risk reduction and your experience to date of implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action will be vital. The contribution of European countries which have established national disaster loss data bases will be important to increase understanding of how this can lead to more resilient investment and sustainable economic development.”

One of the major announcements at the Dubrovnik meeting has been the plan by the UNISDR office to implement a recommendation from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, “to further review how best the National Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction can best support domestic decision-making and international cooperation.” There are currently 81 such platforms world-wide and Ms. Wahlström noted that, “They are making significant contributions as I have heard this week at the European Forum on Disaster Reduction. However, they have developed in many diverse ways and this review will help to identify what are the essential ingredients for a successful National Platform.  The review will also provide guidance in the ideal mix of stakeholders and ensure important groups are not overlooked.”