UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has announced the allocation of $10 million to enhance the resilience of communities across Asia and the Pacific to deal with natural disasters.
The 'Community Resilience to Natural Disasters' programme, launched through UAE Aid Agency, will support the Emirates Nature Society, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The announcement was made at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.
The programme is a joint initiative between WWF and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
It aims to harness nature-based solutions to enhance communities’ ability to withstand and adapt to natural hazards, advance disaster preparedness, and promote sustainable sources of income.
Funding from the UAE will support the first stage of the initiatve, designed to attract additional co-financing from public and private sector partners and donor institutions.
The goal is to expand the programme’s reach and ensure long-term sustainability through shared responsibility and collaboration.
Three key pillars will be the highlight of the programme. They iclude the restoration of natural protective systems, the promotion of sustainable livelihoods, supporting farmers, fishers and small enterprises through eco-tourism and income diversification, and lastly strengthening community preparedness through early warning systems and risk reduction frameworks developed with local communities.
The first phase will be implemented in the Philippines, Indonesia, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands, with plans for future regional expansion.
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