At the 7th Session of the Arab Coordination Mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction (ACMDRR), a decision was adopted by States’ representatives to urge governments to study the Draft Articles on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters (the Draft Articles) and to submit their proposals for amendments ahead of the PPED treaty negotiations before the deadline of 31 December 2025. States and the Technical Secretariat of the Mechanism were also invited to actively participate in the drafting meetings and work towards strengthening a unified Arab position on the treaty. To support this, the final decision requests the Technical Secretariat to establish an Arab negotiating team composed of national focal points and legal experts, in coordination with the IFRC and relevant international organisations.
“MENA countries have much to contribute—and gain—from actively shaping the PPED treaty. Their perspectives are critical for making the PPED framework truly global and equitable,” said Chaden El Daif, IFRC Disaster Law Coordinator for MENA.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, ministers meeting in Palau for the Pacific Disaster Risk Management Ministerial Meeting adopted the Koror Declaration on 5 November 2025, which explicitly recognises the growing momentum behind the PPED treaty and the opportunity it presents for enhanced protection of persons across the region. The endorsement carries particular weight given the Pacific’s acute exposure to disaster and climate risks and its leadership in advancing regional resilience frameworks, including the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific (FRDP) and the Boe Declaration on Regional Security. Although the declaration spans a wide resilience agenda, it includes a clear acknowledgment of the treaty initiative—underscoring the importance of strengthened political leadership and coherent regional engagement in shaping the instrument.
“Pacific leaders are making it clear that the PPED treaty can strengthen collective efforts to protect communities before, during and after disasters,” said Padmini Nayagam, IFRC Disaster Law Coordinator for Asia Pacific.
These developments signal growing regional mobilisation to ensure that States actively contribute to shaping the future PPED treaty—a crucial opportunity for improving international cooperation, strengthening preparedness, and protecting communities facing increasingly severe and frequent disasters.