Public-private partnerships for disaster risk reduction have gained particular interest in recent years due to the impact of natural disasters in the region and the need to develop contingency, continuity and prevention plans.

During the year 2017, following the guidelines of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Fifth Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction was conducted, where both the countries of the continent and the inter-governmental organizations of the region established guidelines for action to encourage compliance with the Sendai Framework. That year, the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) was held in Cancun, whose development focused on gaining knowledge about the progresses made in the implementation of the Sendai Framework, and developing actions and plans aimed at disaster risk reduction.

In addition, the activities of the Permanent Secretariat of SELA, within the framework of public-private partnerships for disaster risk reduction, adhere to the guidelines adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in his Agenda 2030.

In this connection, the Permanent Secretariat of SELA continues to work, together and in coordination with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) to provide spaces to continue to promote the construction of public-private partnerships to promote disaster risk reduction and continue to foster the continuity of government, business and operations amid disaster situations.

In 2017, the "VI Meeting on Public-Private Partnerships for Disaster Risk Reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean: Prevention and business continuity plans for the tourism sector" was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on 7 and 8 December. It was organized by the Permanent Secretariat in conjunction with the Ministry of the Presidency and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Dominican Republic, and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

The Sendai Framework urges us to “to strengthen, as appropriate, disaster-resilient public and private investments, particularly through structural, non-structural and functional disaster risk prevention and reduction measures in critical facilities, in particular schools and hospitals and physical infrastructures; building better from the start to withstand hazards through proper design and construction, including the use of the principles of universal design and the standardization of building materials; retrofitting and rebuilding; nurturing a culture of maintenance; and taking into account economic, social, structural, technological and environmental impact assessments.”

In view of the importance of these recommendations, for the year 2018, the Permanent Secretariat of SELA and the UNISDR plan to organize the "VII Regional Meeting on Public-Private Partnerships for Disaster Risk Reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean: Building resilient infrastructures" in Mexico City, Mexico, jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico (SRE), Cementos Mexicanos (CEMEX) and the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS).