EU strategy for supporting disaster risk reduction in developing countries
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament:
This document proposes an European Union (EU) strategy for supporting disaster risk reduction (DRR) in developing countries through both development cooperation and humanitarian aid, to help support the 2005 Hyogo Framework for Action and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. It aims at ensuring that the EU works more closely and more effectively together when supporting developing countries efforts for reducing the risk of disasters.
Based on Article 180 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, this Strategy forms one half of a package covering aspects of DDR within and beyond the EU, addressing also appropriate links between the two dimensions. It complements and supports existing EU initiatives on climate change.
It states the following priorities: (i) strengthening of political dialogue with developing countries; (ii) integration of disaster risk reduction into both EU and developing countries' policy and action, including EU support for national risk reduction investments; (iii) development of regional plans, starting with one for the Caribbean: such action plans would include for example support for awareness-raising campaigns.