Session Summary

The session looked at resilience improvement programs. A description of approaches in Tokyo, Japan covered enhanced collaboration with local communities and the private sector, the usefulness of neighborhood-scale, community-based disaster management plans, and government support for ‘urban regeneration safety assurance plans’ supported by private companies. In Tunisia, strategies in Tunis included cross-sectoral participation, public-private funding, and government co-operation between local and national levels to improve post-disaster responses.

Private finance needs and concerns were stressed by the IFC, given MENA’s uneven economic growth, the state of its job market and high public debt. Other proposals for private sector involvement included policy reforms relevant to public-private partnerships, and innovative public finance initiatives. The inadequacy of stand-alone public sector initiatives was raised again in the context of Paris, France, where private sector motivations for involvement were deemed potentially difficult because of its primary interest in short-term gains.

"Before reconstruction, prevention is a very crucial component in managing disasters.”

- Ms. Souad Abderrahim, Mayor of Tunis, Tunisia