Since the establishment of the ESCAP Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness following the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, and through the financial contribution of USD 10 million from Thailand, followed by USD 2.5 million from Sweden and contributions from 10 more donor governments, 19 countries have directly benefitted from support in building regional and national end-to-end warning systems for coastal hazards.
Guided by its Strategic Note 2021-2024, the Trust Fund will continue to focus its support on the two people-centred pillars: i) strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems for all people, with a focus on the vulnerable and marginalized, and ii) strengthening social and economic resilience in Asia-Pacific. These pillars will be further supported by two modalities of implementation, namely, enhancing disaster and climate risk management through iii) regional cooperation, and iv) mainstreaming science, technology, and innovation.
Early Warnings for All is the key strategic priority of the Trust Fund. As the only regional funding mechanism supporting shared learning on disaster preparedness in Asia and the Pacific, the Trust Fund is uniquely positioned to catalyze action in the region to advance Early Warnings for all by 2027. To achieve this ambitious target, ESCAP’s Trust Fund should be harnessed to galvanize regional cooperation through and between with the vast array of sub-regional priorities and existing initiatives in Asia and the pacific working towards advancing MHEWS.
Given the transboundary nature of hazards, no one country can on its own ensure effective early warning. People-centred early warning is a regional public good that depends on technological innovations, innovative financing solutions and forward-looking policy planning. As the most disaster impacted region of the world, secure continuous funding will be catalytic to achieving early warnings for all in Asia and the Pacific.
Objective of the Briefing Event
The informal event aims to brief members to the Trust Fund advisory council, National governments and partners involved in Trust Fund activities, potential future donors and other development partners on the history of achievements, current strategy and governance of the ESCAP Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness, as well its alignment with regional priorities and development strategies to promote Early Warnings for all in Asia and the Pacific.
This briefing event will also serve as a prelude to a broader resource mobilization event focused on early warnings for all in Asia and the Pacific during the 4th Asia-Pacific Disaster Resilience Week, 24-28 July 2023.
