Promoting Best Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery: Serbia in relation to the Western Balkans Region

6-8 November 2024, Budva, Montenegro - Europe and Central Asia Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction UNDP Serbia team presented the Study ‘10 years after – Assessment of the Impact and Effects of Comprehensive Efforts Undertaken After the 2014 Floods’. The presentation of the Study highlighted the key findings of the impact assessment on recovery, reconstruction, and implementation of new preventive measures after the 2014 floods in Serbia, with a focus on the effectiveness of the disaster risk management system from 2014–2023.

UNDP team, with the support of the EU, showcased Serbia's progress in disaster resilience and the impact of newly built infrastructure and policy measures on the country's resilience to possible future extreme events caused by climate change.

Participants of the event from the Western Balkans region were particularly interested in Serbia’s progress in enhancing coordination, capacity building and knowledge- and experience-oriented disaster risk management. International participants were interested in replicating the good practices recognised by the UNDRR in creating and improving the regulatory and strategic framework for disaster risk reduction and emergency response, as well as the innovative disaster risk management tool - the Disaster Risk Register.

The Study ‘10 years after’ was developed within the ‘EU for Serbia Resilient to Disasters’ project, funded by the EU and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The final version of the document will be available to the public by the end of November 2024.

UNDP team also supported the participation of colleagues from the Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior of Serbia (the SEM), and Mr. Ivan Baras, Assistant Head of the SEM, in the European Commission Risk Assessment Workshop. Mr. Baras pointed out the good work done thanks to EU funds to make Serbia more resilient and the strong strategic bond that UNDP Serbia’s support and expertise has brought in establishing a comprehensive and efficient National DRR system.

The Platform is hosted by the Government of Montenegro, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and with the support of the European Commission (EC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Council of Europe (CoE) gathering over 700 participants. This Platform convened every three years represents the largest multi-stakeholder gathering in the region for the implementation of the Sendai Framework since its inception, bringing together the governments of 55 Member States, along with stakeholders from civil society and the private sector. It provides a unique forum for various groups, including youth, persons with disabilities, gender rights advocates, and the private sector, to share their perspectives and influence collective action to protect communities, strengthen inclusive governance, and integrate disaster risk reduction measures across all sectors.