Geneva, Switzerland – The Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) made its presence felt at the 8th session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR 2025), held at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva from June 2 to June 6, 2025. Commissioner Mahmoud Moalim Abdul led a delegation representing Somalia, engaging with global leaders and experts on critical strategies for mitigating disaster impact.
The quadrennial conference, a flagship event in the international disaster risk reduction calendar, convened over 2,700 participants. This included senior officials and delegates from 133 nations, all dedicated to advancing the understanding and implementation of effective risk reduction measures. A central theme of the gathering was the imperative role of proactive risk prevention, preparing communities for rapid response, and substantially minimizing the damage inflicted by various hazards.
Organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the platform facilitated extensive discussions and presentations on strengthening leadership, improving global coordination, and fostering international cooperation in disaster risk reduction. Various countries showcased their significant advancements in risk management frameworks and the enhancement of their national disaster resilience.
Commissioner Abdulle delivered a compelling keynote address at the forum, detailing the Federal Government of Somalia’s substantial efforts and progress in disaster risk management. He highlighted the observable growth and refinement of systems designed to safeguard the lives and assets of Somali citizens, reflecting a concerted national drive towards greater safety and stability in the face of environmental challenges.
A crucial outcome of the conference session was the concerted effort to formulate actionable decisions that participating nations’ leaders are expected to champion. These decisions are geared towards accelerating the achievement of the objectives articulated in the Sendai Framework, a global blueprint urging countries to fully develop their capacities for disaster risk reduction by the ambitious target year of 2030. Somalia’s active participation in these discussions reaffirms its commitment to this global framework and its own national resilience agenda.
