Mami Mizutori, head of UNDRR and Lieutenant General Doni Monardo at the official signing of the Joint Declaration

JAKARTA, 29 May 2019 – Following the deaths or disappearances of over 4,600 people last year in 2,426 recorded disaster events, Indonesia is stepping up efforts to improve disaster risk management. Indonesia straddles the so-called “Ring of Fire” in the Pacific Ocean making it vulnerable to earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.

The country's National Agency for Disaster Management(BNPB)today signed an agreement with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction(UNDRR)intended to strengthen its overall disaster risk management in order to reduce loss of life and economic losses from future events.

“UNDRR is committed to doing what it can to support you every step of the way, and this Joint Declaration we are signing today is a manifestation of this commitment,” said Ms. Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General(SRSG)and Head of UNDRR, who travelled to Jakarta for the occasion.

The Joint Declaration covers capacity building to support the development of national and local strategies for disaster risk reduction, advancing research, science and technology, as well as jointly promoting regional and international cooperation. These are all key to the successful implementation of the global plan to reduce disaster losses, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.