First Meeting of the Group of Friends of the Platform on Disaster Displacement Takes Place in Geneva

The Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) consists of a Steering Group, Advisory Committee, and Secretariat. However, several states who are not members of the PDD Steering Group have shown interest in its work. To reach out to such states and to strengthen awareness regarding the protection and assistance needs of disaster displaced persons, a Group of Friends (GoF) of the PDD was established.

The first meeting of the Group of Friends took place in Geneva on 16^th October 2019, co-chaired by the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco, welcoming 33 UN Member States on board. Broad representation from Pacific Small Island Developing States, African, Caribbean, and European countries showed the extensive interest on the topic of Disaster Displacement, and wide-ranging commitment to our common goal to better protect those displaced in disasters and climate change contexts.

At the outset of the meeting, Ambassador François Rivasseau, speaking on behalf of France, the current Chair of PDD, reminded of the reach and impact of disaster displacement: “The number of people displaced by disasters is larger than of those displaced by conflict – and it is only increasing. We all are here to start preparing an answer to this challenge now.” During the meeting, the Envoy of the Chair of the PDD, Prof Walter Kaelin, introduced the PDD and its work. States expressed their interest in expanding the number of States joining the GoF.

Concluding the successful outcome of the first meeting, the Group of Friends will convene biannually in Geneva and biannually in New York with the purpose of raising awareness of disaster displacement at the global level. The next meeting – the first in New York – is being scheduled for early 2020.

The following States and regional organizations participated in this meeting: Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Nauru, Niger, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Ukraine

Read about the Group of Friends in the PDD Strategy 2019-2022

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Read the Terms of Reference of the Group of Friends here

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Read the Minutes of the Meeting here

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Take a look at the presentation from the Envoy of the Chair here

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