KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie says Jamaica will adhere to the guidelines of the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Management.

McKenzie made the commitment while speaking at the three-day Sixth Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas conference, held in Cartagena, Colombia, from June 19 to 21.

“Jamaica is serious about the business of disaster risk management and the strengthening of the partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to build greater levels of resilience as a nation,” said McKenzie.

He pointed out that Jamaica’s efforts are in recognition of the important link between reducing disaster risks and achieving the development objectives.

The three-day conference was organised to allow government, non-governmental and private organisations to share their experiences and chart the way forward as they work together to implement the Sendai Framework approved in 2015.

The Framework is a 15-year voluntary agreement (2015-2030) that recognises that respective states have the primary responsibility to reduce disaster risks, but that responsibility should also be shared with other stakeholders, including local government and the private sector.

The key objective of the framework is to achieve a substantial reduction of disaster risks and loss of lives, livelihood and health as well as preserving the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of people, businesses, communities and countries.