International Recovery Forum 2025: Achieving Resilient Recovery in a Changing World

Event Description  

As we enter the second half of the Sendai Framework's implementation period, the Midterm Review has revealed concerning gaps in progress, particularly with Priority 4 and building back better. This implementation gap is especially concerning in a rapidly evolving risk landscape. The past decade has witnessed numerous devastating disasters that highlight the growing challenges communities face in achieving resilient recovery. Many communities now find themselves struck by new disasters before fully recovering from previous ones, creating compound impacts that strain resources and deepen vulnerabilities.

As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 2025, the Forum brings together representatives from multiple communities that have managed significant earthquake recoveries, both from across Japan and internationally. Their diverse experiences with recovery planning, implementation, and building back better offer valuable insights into strengthening recovery practice. These lessons from earthquake recovery remain highly relevant as communities worldwide seek to enhance their preparedness for post-disaster recovery across diverse hazard contexts.

The 2025 IRP Forum will focus on translating these accumulated recovery experiences into practical strategies for strengthening recovery readiness - the ability to plan, prepare for and execute effective recovery before disasters strike. By reflecting on recent recovery experiences, with a particular focus on earthquake recovery, participants will identify critical gaps in current practice and develop actionable recommendations for embedding resilience into recovery systems and processes.

The forum's discussions and recommendations will directly inform preparations for the 2025 World Resilient Recovery Conference and Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, helping shape global practice around recovery readiness. By bringing together diverse stakeholders to share knowledge and coordinate action, the IRP Forum 2025 aims to accelerate progress in building back better and break the cycle of disaster-related setbacks that threatens sustainable development.

Objectives  

The IRP Forum 2025 aims to:

1. Identify priority areas for improving recovery readiness as inputs to the Global Call to Action and the World Resilient Recovery Conference.
2. Draw upon decades of earthquake recovery experiences from Japan and around the world to strengthen global understanding of effective recovery readiness approaches and build back better practices.
3. Identify common challenges and scalable solutions for recovery readiness through dialogue between local and international recovery practitioners, particularly focusing on recent experiences with compound and cascading disasters.

Program

Opening Session (Video)

• Mr. Kamal KISHORE, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
• Mr. SAITO Motohiko, Governor of Hyogo Prefecture
• Mr. HARA Hiroaki, Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan      
• Mr. Ronald JACKSON, IRP Chair and Head of the Disaster Risk Reduction, Recovery for Building Resilience Team (UNDP) 
• Mr. Sujit Kumar MOHANTY, Chief of Branch, Intergovernmental processes, Interagency Coordination and Partnerships (UNDRR)

Keynote Presentation

• Mr. KAWATA Yoshiaki, Executive Director of Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institute (DRI)
• Ms. OHASHI Makiko, Director, International Cooperation Disaster Management Bureau, Cabinet Office, Japan

Session 1: Learning from Japan's Recovery Journey: Reflections from Local Leaders

<Moderator>

•  Ms. OHASHI Makiko, Director, International Cooperation Disaster Management Bureau, Cabinet Office, Japan

<Panelists>

• Mr. KAMEI Hiroyuki, Former Director General, Disaster Response Bureau, Hyogo Prefectural Government (1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake)

• Mr. SATO Jin, Mayor of Minami-sanriku Town (2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami)
• Mr. ARIURA Takashi, Former Chief of Crisis Management and DRR Planning, Kumamoto Prefecture (2016 Kumamoto Earthquake)

• Mr. YOSHIMURA Koki, Mayor of Anamizu Town (2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake)

• Mr. UESHIMA Yasuhiro, Japan Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster / Steering Committee Member / Peace Boat Disaster Relief / Secretary General

Session 2: Recovery Experiences and Readiness: International Perspectives on Building Back Better (Video)

<Moderators>

• Mr. Abhilash PANDA, Deputy Chief, Intergovernmental processes, Interagency Coordination and Partnerships, UNDRR 

<Panelists>

• Mr. Harold N. CABREROS, Director of Rehabilitation and Recovery Management Service, Office of Civil Defense, Government of the Republic of the Philippines

• Mr. Luqmanul HAKIM, Deputy Director for Recovery and Improvement of Public Facilities, National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Government of the Republic of Indonesia

• Mr. Youb Raj PAUDYAL, Project Director, Nepal Urban Governance and Infrastructure Project (NUGIP), Ministry of Urban Development, Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

• Ms. Mona Chabra ANAND, Technical Lead - Resilient Recovery, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)

Closing Session (Video)

• Mr. Abhilash PANDA, Deputy Chief, Intergovernmental processes, Interagency Coordination and Partnerships, UNDRR 
• Ms. OHASHI Makiko, IRP Steering Committee Co-Chair

On the same day and venue, January 28th (Tuesday) from 13:30 at the Portopia Hotel, International Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Assistance 2025 will be held.
If you are interested in it, please visit the website:　https://www.dri.ne.jp/pickup/forum/