The UAE has announced a US$10 million contribution to strengthen community resilience against natural disasters across Asia and the Pacific. 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 under the directives of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. The joint programme, developed by WWF and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), seeks to harness nature-based solutions to help communities prepare for and adapt to natural hazards while promoting sustainable livelihoods.
The UAE’s funding will support the programme’s first phase, designed to attract additional co-financing from public and private sector partners to ensure long-term sustainability and regional expansion.Dr. Tareq Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, said the initiative reflects the UAE’s global commitment to proactive resilience and preventive action. Emirates Nature-WWF Director General Laila Mostafa Abdullatif said the programme underscores the UAE’s belief that “resilience begins within communities,” while WWF International Director-General Kirsten Schuijt described nature as “one of humanity’s strongest allies in reducing disaster risk.”
The Community Resilience to Natural Disasters Programme focuses on three key pillars: restoring natural protective systems such as mangrove forests and coral reefs; promoting sustainable livelihoods through eco-tourism and income diversification; and strengthening community preparedness via early warning systems and locally developed risk reduction frameworks. The first phase will be implemented in the Philippines, Indonesia, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands, establishing a scalable model for future expansion.
