The APN 24th Joint Intergovernmental Meeting and Scientific Planning Group Meeting (IGM/SPG Meeting) and associated meetings, held online, successfully concluded on 9 February 2021.

The Interngovernmental Meeting (IGM) approved the Fifth Strategic Plan, which sets out the overall goals of APN in the period 2020-2024 to further strengthen partnerships and activities that promote and foster regional-based research and capacity building, as a contribution to the efforts to “build forward better” and to establish a post-COVID-19 world that is more resilient, ustainable, safe and equitable. In addition, the IGM approved the Fourth Strategic Phase Report, which summarizes the achievements of APN in contributing to the implementation of international initiatives related to global change, including disaster risk reduction and sustainability in the period between 2015 and 2020. The IGM also adopted a set of draft amendments to the APN Framework Document, which were proposed to streamline the institutional structure of APN and improve the overall efficiency of the intergovernmental network.