We work with partners around the world to learn and share experiences.

This helps Australia reduce disaster risk and build resilience.

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)

The UNDRR coordinate international strategies and programs. The goal is to lower disaster risk.

Sendai Framework

The UNDRR manages the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030.

Over 15 years, the framework aims to reduce international disaster risk. It has four key areas:

1. understanding risk
2. strengthening risk governance
3. investing in risk reduction and resilience
4. getting ready for disaster and rebuilding.

Australia includes the Sendai Framework in the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework (PDF 3.43MB).

Our role

We:

• report on Australia's progress against the Sendai Framework
• helps Asia-Pacific countries use it
• develops resilient investment opportunities.

The Sendai Framework is halfway complete.

On 30 September 2022, we shared Australia's midterm progress (PDF 3.65MB).

Multilateral engagement

We engage with multilateral forums. We do this to build risk management skills.

Forums include:

• Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
• Group of Twenty (G20)
• Five Country Ministerial (FCM).

Bilateral engagement 

We build our expertise capability through engagements with other countries.

Canada

Australia has agreed with Canada to collaborate on:

• operations
• policy development and support
• research
• capacity development.  

New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand have agreed to:

• share research and best practice
• share disaster help
• explore joint activities and exercises.

United States of America

The two countries have agreed to collaborate on:

• management of all hazard events
• policy and planning
• management of recovery programs. 

Sharing resources

We support international partners facing disaster. We send medical and search and rescue teams to help with recovery.

For example, we've sent:

• a Fire and Rescue team to Tonga after a volcano erupted
• medical teams to Pacific countries during COVID-19.

UN Global Assessment Report

The United Nations produces a major report on reducing disaster risk. It's called the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction.

We contributed to the 2022 version. 

International engagement 

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

We've supported the department by attending:

• the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (Indonesia, 2022)
• the Pacific Disaster Risk Reduction Ministers Meeting (Fiji, 2022)

We also hosted the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (Brisbane, 2022).

The Department of Home Affairs

We collaborate with the department's National Resilience Taskforce. This work includes supporting a national, five-year framework for disaster mitigation.