Geneva – 19 April 2022. The OCHA/UNDP Connecting Business initiative (CBi) and its Member Networks assisted more than 1 million people through crisis response operations in 2021 and reached over 115,000 people with both disaster preparedness activities and early recovery programmes. Through its 13 private sector networks, CBi helped local businesses connect to humanitarian partners and strengthen community resilience to disasters.
“The sheer number and variety of climatic events heading our way means everyone has to step up. The private sector, already plugged into the local community, has huge advantages. We are so pleased to be able to help businesses come together to make a positive difference,” said Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator of OCHA.
The Annual Report published today highlights activities implemented by the OCHA/UNDP initiative and its Member Networks in 2021 to mobilize the private sector before, during and after emergencies. From Vanuatu to Fiji and Madagascar, CBi networks represent over 275,000 micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Together, they helped raise US$ 7.2 million in cash and in-kind donations.
Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, said that “in the last five years, CBi business networks have assisted 18 million people in over 100 crises. As we work with countries to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, prepare for future crises and ultimately achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, private sector partners are key to ensuring sustainable and localized responses that make a difference in people’s daily lives."
In 2021, CBi Member Networks responded to sudden onset disasters including the earthquake in Haiti, floods in Sri Lanka and Super Typhoon Rai in the Philippines – all while continuing to support the COVID-19 pandemic response in their countries.
CBi also pursued its expansion strategy in 2021 by welcoming Indonesia and Viet Nam to the initiative.
More information is available in the CBi Annual Report (currently available in English only, with translations to French, Spanish, and Arabic forthcoming).
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The OCHA/UNDP Connecting Business initiative (CBi) works with businesses around the world to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. Learn more at connectingbusiness.org.
For more information, please contact Priscilla Lecomte, CBi Communication Specialist, at lecomte@un.org.