UAE pledges $10 M to boost disaster resilience in Asia-Pacific

October 13, 2025 / 3:14 PM

Sharjah24-WAM: Under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE has announced the allocation of US$10 million to strengthen the resilience of communities across Asia and the Pacific against natural disasters. The initiative, launched through the UAE Aid Agency, will support Emirates Nature–WWF, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), to implement the “Community Resilience to Natural Disasters Programme.” The announcement was made on the fourth day of the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress, hosted by Abu Dhabi.

Nature-based solutions for disaster preparedness

The Community Resilience to Natural Disasters Programme is a joint initiative between WWF and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The programme aims to utilise nature-based solutions to strengthen communities’ ability to withstand and adapt to natural hazards, enhance disaster preparedness, and promote sustainable livelihoods. The UAE’s US$10 million contribution will fund the first phase of the programme, designed to attract additional co-financing from public and private sector partners and donor institutions to ensure long-term sustainability through collaboration.

Global voices supporting resilience and readiness

Dr Tareq Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, reaffirmed the UAE’s global leadership in promoting cooperation for the benefit of people and nature. He stated that the initiative embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to invest in preventive action and strengthen the adaptive capacities of local communities to face natural disasters. He highlighted that the strategic partnership between Emirates Nature and WWF reflects the UAE’s commitment to transitioning from crisis response to readiness and resilience, empowering communities to adapt and recover effectively.

Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, Director General of Emirates Nature–WWF, emphasised that the commitment reflects the UAE’s belief that resilience begins within communities. She noted that by expanding this ethos across the Asia-Pacific region, the programme enables collaboration with communities to strengthen natural defences, secure livelihoods, and shape thriving, resilient futures together.

Kirsten Schuijt, Director-General of WWF International, explained that nature is one of humanity’s strongest allies in reducing disaster risk. Through this initiative, partners will support communities in restoring and managing the ecosystems that protect them—from mangroves to mountains—while laying the foundation for safer, more resilient societies.

Nena Stoiljkovic, IFRC Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalisation, stated that the most effective way to protect and save lives is to build resilience before disasters strike. She underscored that by working with nature as the first line of defence, together with WWF, communities can be strengthened, lives and livelihoods safeguarded, and the human environment preserved.