Mr. Elhadj As Sy, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, recalled the devastating impact of the ebola pandemic in terms of both loss of life and the economic impact on the affected countries, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

He said borders were closed, flights cancelled, markets shut. “People were not allowed to gather or even to trade. It had an impact on people’s nutritional status, particularly of pregnant women and babies. The underlying problems were exacerbated and it increased mortality and morbidity.”

Mr. As Sy said the lack of trading and banking facilities was a major factor in so few people deciding to return to the small island of Barbuda in the Caribbean after it was devastated in last year’s hurricanes.

Natural hazards and disasters provide opportunities for trade in the effort to build back better so people are not left in the same condition of vulnerability as they were before.

Ambassador Frances Lisson of Australia said the country’s economic losses from disasters were predicted to double by 2050 and there was great concern about the impacts of disasters on its neighbours in the Pacific.

Ambassador Lission observed that improved customs procedures can quicken the delivery of goods. She stated that Australia was giving a grant to WTO to look at the role that trade can play in building resilience to disasters and pointed to the importance given to these issues under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Ms. Kirsi Madi, UNISDR Director, said: “Trade has the potential to be one of the great drivers of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the eradication of poverty. In order to do that, it has to be inclusive and address inequality by taking affirmative action to support those countries which are on the front line of climate change, extreme weather events and at the mercy of seismic risk.”

She said it was encouraging to hear that WTO “is embarking on a mapping exercise to gain an improved understanding of the issues that your Members face as a result of the increasing impact of disasters.”

Ms. Madi said: “This work is important when you consider how much damage earthquakes and extreme weather events have inflicted on low and middle income countries in recent times.

"Disruption to manufacturing, tourism and trade play a significant role in the GDP losses sustained in these events particularly in small island developing states.”

Date:

26 Apr 2018

Sources:

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)

Themes:

Advocacy & Media, Economics of DRR, Social Impacts & Social Resilience, Vulnerable Populations

Countries:

Australia, Dominica, Nepal

Regions:

Africa, Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania