Information Notes May - October 2004May-October 2004 II Locusts - West Africa Heavy rainfalls during...

Information Note

“…I think we all can agree on one thing. A natural disaster is never, or rarely, simply a natural disaster. It is also aboutmassive policy failures, whether we talk about drought and famine in Africa, or earthquakes in the Middle East or

hurricanes in Latin America. The losses of lives, the vulnerabilities of people, especially the poor are greatly exacerbated byflaws in laws, institutions and policies. If we are to make progress these flaws must be corrected. Good governance, human

rights and inclusive social policies must be part of our work on disaster reduction strategies.

…We need to take specific action to reduce risk, but it is equally important to mainstream a culture of prevention in moregeneral development programmes and projects. This dual approach is the basis for Norway’s disaster reduction policy. About

15 per cent (approximately NOK 35 million) of our humanitarian budget for natural disasters goes for preventivemeasures, including research and disaster preparedness.

…I am making the case that broad, sustainable impact will ultimately depend on how well governments succeed in enactingreforms that will allow the poor to enter the formal economy, the rule of law. This is a tough message. What gives me hope is

that today this is better understood in the developing world than in the industrialised world.”

Norwegian State Secretary Olav Kjørven, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Oslo, 27 September 2004

Inter-Agency Secretariat of theInternational Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR)

for the period 1 May - 7 October 2004IATF10/ISDR/Information doc/Nr. 1

Contents

I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

II. Overview of major disasters May-October 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

III. Key achievements for the May-October 2004. A summary . . . . . . . . . . .5

IV ISDR secretariat informs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Preparations for the WCDR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81. Policy and Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102. Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173. Information management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234. Partnerships for Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275. Organizational development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

V. Partner organizations informs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .391. Governance - institutional frameworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .392. Risk assessment, monitoring and early warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .403. Knowledge management and education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .434. Reducing the underlying risk factors- application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .455. Preparedness for effective response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

VI. The way forward and continuing challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

List of Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

AnnexesAnnex 1 Policy framework to guide and monitor disaster risk reduction . . . . . . . . .52Annex 2 ISDR secretariat financial overview - contributions and pledges . . . . . . . .54

1

IIntroductionA new feature of the ISDR Information Note

The recent hurricanes in the Caribbean showus two things: firstly, extreme weather-eventscontinue to devastate lives and livelihoods andsecondly, some countries and communities arebetter prepared than others to confront thesehazards. Wherever the hurricanes caused amajor disaster, the combination of a degradedenvironment, unplanned urban growth and apoorly organized and vulnerable population isto blame. We know very well however that aninformed, organized and well-preparedcommunity is capable of reducing such loss oflives and livelihoods. With good and effectiveearly warning systems, among other key tools,

a community can become resilient to naturalhazards.

Recent figures confirm the trend of growingnumbers of people becoming vulnerable tohazards such as floods, hurricanes,earthquakes and landslides. In 2003, 254million people were affected by naturalhazards, an increase of 180 per cent comparedto the 90 million affected in 1990. Globalestimates for 2003 recorded 700 disasters,with 75,000 people killed and economic lossestotaling over US$ 65 billion in the same year.

Figure 1Some large impact* natural disasters in the last 30 years

Source: EM-DAT: TheOFDA/CREDInternational DisasterDatabase - www.em-dat.net - UniversitéCatholique de Louvain - Brussels- Belgium, 2004

*Note: Includesdisasters with at least2000 people killed or10 billion $US ofeconomic losses(2002 $US value)

2

IntroductionA new feature of the ISDR Information

This is why reducing vulnerability andincluding risk assessment in developmentplans and investments is a must if we wantto reach the Millennium DevelopmentGoals. Along with reducing poverty andimproving the life quality of communities,protecting the environment, stimulatingsocial equity and economic growth needs toinclude building resilience to disasters.Good governance, community participationand gender balance are key challenges.

Through the review of the 1994 YokohamaStrategy and Plan of Action we have learnedthat reducing disaster risks is less a matterof access to technical expertise than ofpolitical and public motivation andcommitment, public awareness, appropriateresource allocation and strong institutionalstructures to enhance the results that can beobtained from existing capacities andcapabilities. Inexpensive and simplemeasures are available to address the failureof human and environmental securityrepresented by disasters. An approach todevelop local coping capacities and disasterreduction is necessary in all phases ofdisaster risk management.

The World Conference on Disaster Reductionto be held in Kobe, Hyogo, on 18-22 January2005 will be an opportunity to reflect onwhere we stand in the advancement of disasterreduction, share and learn from experience,and identify challenges and areas of priorityfor the next ten years. The expectation is toincrease commitment and awareness to reducedisaster risk, and to identify appropriatemeans and resources to do it.

The purpose of this Information Note is togauge progress and record majorachievements in the implementation of theInternational Strategy for Disaster Reduction.It complements the annual report of the UNSecretary-General, informing Governments,partner organizations and interestedstakeholders on activities related to disasterreduction carried out under the Strategy,including those of organizations participatingin the Inter-Agency Task Force on DisasterReduction and the ISDR secretariat. Weexpect this bi-annual note to gradually evolveinto a useful information tool, including thedevelopment of an inter-agency PreventionWebsite for partners as well as all for expertsand practitioners around the world.

Sálvano BriceñoDirectorInter-Agency Secretariat of the International Strategy for DisasterReduction (UN/ISDR)

3

Overview of major disasters May-October 2004 IILocusts - West Africa

Heavy rainfalls during 2003 provided ideal conditions for locust reproduction, with swarmsforming and spreading in central Mauritania towards the end of the year. By March 2004, theplague intensified due to lack of pest control action in Mauritania and Moroccan-occupied WesternSahara. Swarms moved across the Atlas Mountains of Morocco to Algeria, threatening othercountries in the sub-region.

Approximately two million hectares of land were infested with locusts in West Africa (of which 1.6million were in Mauritania), with over US $100 million spent in locust control operations.

In addition to causing devastating impacts on crops and food, the locust plague also imposed long-term negative effects on Western African countries' economic and social development. Depletion ofprecious resources including forests and livestock means that communities are at risk of furtherlosses in the event of droughts which could follow the El Niño phenomenon forecasted for 2005.

Mitigation and prevention efforts in Mauritania were widely regarded as inadequate, ignoring earlywarnings from the FAO of late last year. As a result, communities in the region were forced to usepesticides in an attempt to kill locust eggs and mitigate further effects of the plague, predicted tocontinue over the next few months.

Floods - South Asia

Since May, a number of countries in South Asia have been struck by floods that have claimed over1,800 lives and affected the lives of 67 million people. Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Japan,Nepal, Macedonia, China and Bangladesh have all been touched by heavy rains, with people forcedto seek shelter in cramped and unsanitary conditions as they wait for the water levels to go down.

In China the floods killed 1,029 people, causing losses totaling 64.7 billion yuan (US $ 7.8 billionUS) and affecting 7.59 million hectares of farmland. In Bangladesh more than 33 million peoplewere affected by the floods that mercilessly destroyed houses, crops, diseases, livestock and essentialrural and urban infrastructure. According to the Ministry of Finance and Planning of Bangladesh,over 700 people were killed by the floods, which caused a total of US $6.6 billion dollars' worth ofdamage to property and infrastructure throughout the country.

Further floods associated with the monsoon and cyclone seasons remain a real possibility in SouthAsia over the next six months.

4

Overview of major disasters May-October 2004

Worth noting, however, is the positive example Bangladesh sets for others in the region. In spite ofthe floods, Bangladeshi communities shown remarkable resilience, due to comprehensive floodpreparedness programmes, with the government spending one million dollars of its modest budgeton prevention.

At the 59th session of the UN General Assembly, Bangladesh pointed out that "despite the heavyloss of life, resources and infrastructure as a result of the floods, better preparedness prevented evengreater losses", calling for improved management of water resources in the region and internationalsupport for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction measures.

Hurricanes - the Americas

August-September 2004 were record-breaking months for the annual Atlantic hurricane season.Twelve storms have already been named (the average for a whole season is nine). This yearHurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne have caused widespread destruction to the lives ofinhabitants in the Caribbean and the United States.

The less-developed small island States suffered the greatest impact of the hurricanes. In Grenada,39 people were killed in the wake of Ivan, which wiped out the island nation's two main sources ofincome: tourism and nutmeg exports. Nearly half of Grenada's 90,000 residents remain withouthousing, and 90 percent of the island's buildings were either destroyed or damaged. The CaymanIslands were also devastated by disaster caused by Ivan.

Jeanne hit Haiti on 16 September while still a tropical storm. Nevertheless, heavy rain falling overdeforested hills in the north caused destructive flooding and flash flooding and killing over 1,650people according to the Haitian government's calculations of 26 September.

Cuba proved a special case, attracting wide media attention after escaping largely unscathed fromHurricane Ivan, the biggest storm in living memory. The country has suffered minimal losses in theface of the season's hurricanes due to conscientious emergency preparedness procedures and rapidand orderly evacuation from high-risk areas. Public Information and communication practicesprovide Cubans with an effective early warning to reduce the impacts of hurricanes.

5

Key achievements for the May-October 2004A summary IIIWorld Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR)

The ISDR secretariat has been working on several fronts during the last six months in relation topreparing for the World Conference on Disaster Reduction; to support the substantive assessmentsand preparations of regions and thematic discussions, while the WCDR Unit has been workingwith the Bureau, the host country Japan, Member States and UN Conference Service to advancethe organizational and logistical aspects. In general, these preparations have advanced very well andon schedule. An immediate effect of the work is that more awareness and information sharing ondisaster reduction have already taken place, and will be expected to turn into increased commitmentfor implementation following the Conference.

National information

By September, over 90 countries had provided comprehensive national information on the currentstatus of disaster risk reduction, which has served as input to the findings of the review of theYokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a safer world as well as background information materialto be shared at the WCDR. It will also be elaborated further for broader use beyond theConference.

Platform for the Promotion of Early Warning

As part of its policy development initiatives and to work more closely with many key UNconvention secretariats (climate change and combating desertification), the ISDR secretariatestablished an outreach office in Bonn, Germany, to host the new Platform for the Promotion ofEarly Warning (PPEW). This programme, mainly sponsored by Germany, is following-up on therecommendations by the IATF/DR working group on early warning and the Second InternationalConference on Early Warning held in Bonn in 2003.

Media coverage and outreach

New media capacity at the ISDR secretariat and WCDR unit has strengthened the promotion ofissues relating to disaster reduction in the lead up to the WCDR, building upon existing awarenessraising activities of the secretariat and encouraging journalists to report on lessons learned in theimmediate aftermath of a disaster. A broad range of media coverage was generated by the 2004hurricane season in the Caribbean, highlighting good practices and lessons to be learned fromdisasters.

6

Key achievements for the May-October 2004A summary

New innovative public-private partnerships

The ISDR secretariat has engaged in new private-public partnerships in the area of advocacy andinformation. One is in with Tudor Rose, a commercial publisher and information provider inpreparing and fundraising for a publication, "Know Risk". This book will include good practice,examples and findings from the review of the Yokohama Strategy. The collaboration with TudorRose and ISDR may continue around other areas of advocacy and awareness raising in disaster riskreduction in the future. A similar engagement with Entico Corporation is built around an artcontest as part of the annual awareness campaign in 2004. It will lead to a calendar based on theresults of the contest in 2005. These kinds of innovative sponsoring partnerships may be increasingfeatures within ISDR in the future to reach out to new constituencies and for cost-sharing.

New regional development in Asia within ISDR secretariat

The ISDR secretariat is currently establishing an outreach post for Central Asia hosted by UNDPin Dushanbe, Tajikistan (operational from October 2004), working in close collaboration withUNDP, OCHA and other regional stakeholders to disseminate information and advocate disasterrisk reduction and regional networking on the subject. Increased capacity to support the ISDR Asiapartnerships has also emerged in recent months.

Increased collaboration with UNDP and OCHA

In addition to collaboration in the context of specific activities in Africa, Asia and Latin America &the Caribbean, OCHA, UNDP and the ISDR Secretariat has engaged in a system wide study ongaps, relevance and strength of the UN system to better support disaster risk management efforts oflocal, national and regional institutions.

7

ISDR secretariat informs IVThis section provides information on main activities conducted by the ISDR secretariat based on its strategicframework, recording outputs and impacts achieved.

For ease of reference, the numbering of focus areas and outcomes follow the illustration in the Summary of thestrategic framework of the ISDR secretariat (see figure 2) The update on the preparations for the WorldConference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR) is reported separately to the core activities of the ISDRsecretariat.

Figure 2ISDR Secretariat: summary of strategic framework1

2. ADVOCACY 3. INFORMATION & NETWORKS1. POLICY AND STRATEGY

FO

CU

SA

RE

AS

The development of policies andstrategies necessary for theadvancement of disaster risk reduction,particularly through collaboration withand support of United Nations bodiesand programmes, the ISDR Inter-agency Task Force, and otherinternational and regional bodies, and inresponse to emerging opportunities forand impediments to disaster riskreduction.

The communication and promotion ofdisaster risk reduction concepts andpractices to specific target audiences inorder to persuade, obtain commitment,and mobilize resources toward thereduction of disaster risk and thedevelopment of a culture of resilience

The generation and dissemination ofinformation on disaster risk reduction tomeet policymaker and practitionerneeds, through the collection andsynthesis of knowledge, experience anddata, the enhancement of access toinformation products, the developmentand stimulation of networks of people,and the development of necessarysupporting information strategies andtechnical capacities.

The engagement in partnerships devotedto projects and activities that stimulateand test specific disaster risk reductionapplications, including policy and strategyapplications or that develop specialisttechnical knowledge needed for disasterreduction.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

worldwide, striving to mobilize commitment and resources for disaster risk reductionthrough partnerships at international regional and national levels.

OU

TC

OM

ES

The ISDR Secretariat is a catalyst to advance and facilitate the realization of the ISDR

Outcomes linked with theWCDR (high priorities)

Additional priorities

Lower priority

1 The organizational strengthening of the ISDR is also a high priority toensure the effective implementation of the above framework.

4. PARTNESHIPFOR APPLICATIONS

1.1

Framework, targets and programmefor disaster risk reduction (DRR)

1.2Mainstreaming of DRR in UNbodies and as part of SD

1.3IATF for implementation of ISDR

1.4Early Warning into policies anddrought reduction policies

1.5Strategies on climate risk& changes

1.6Coordinated science agendaon DRR

3.1Synthesised information (LwR - globalreview, reviews, guidelines, etc)

3.2Expansion of reference databases

(individuals, organizations, programs, )

3.3Increased networks & exchange of

information

3.4

Upgraded ISDR Secretariat websites

3.5

Accessible ISDR library

2.1.

Global public awareness

2.4Promotion of education & trainingin DRR

2.3National advocacy and platforms:LAC, Africa and Asia

2.5

Advocacy to special audiences

2.2

Regional advocacy capacities

4.1Promotion of partnerships forpolicies and strategies on DRR

4.3Collaboration with specialistfields

4.2Projects and programmespartnershipsfor practicalapplication good practices&

WORLD CONFERENCE ON DISASTER REDUCTION, Kobe, Hyogo, 18-22 January 2005

Programme of Action 2005-2015 Media awareness Review Yokohama Strategy Promotion of partnerships

8

ISDR secretariat informs

The preparation for the WCDR hasstrengthened the inter-agency work of thesecretariat and involves all the regular focusareas. In addition to logistical andorganizational matters dealt with by theWCDR Unit, the preparation has broughtfocus to the following outcomes, as reflectedthroughout this Information Note:

• Substantive policy and strategy support todevelop regional, thematic and globalcontributions to future priorities and actionbased on an updated framework for disasterrisk reduction, including establishment of aWorking Group of the IATF/DR;

• Advocacy for increased awareness throughimproved media outreach;

• Information collection and analysis in thereview of the Yokohama Strategy; and

• Promotion of existing or new partnershipsto support implementation of key areas ofrisk reduction.

Update from the WCDR Unit, ConferenceCoordinator, on organizational aspects

A number of important issues for the WCDRhave been finalised in the lead up to thesecond session of the Preparatory Committee(PrepCom2) for the WCDR to be held 11-12October 2004, including thematic segments,round tables, organizational plan, publicforum and the next steps after PrepCom2.Substantive work (outcomes) will be resumedin earnest during PrepCom2.

Funding for approximately 50 delegates fromdeveloping countries for participation inPrepCom2 was obtained, and participation ofNGOs at the October meeting has also been

agreed upon. Chairing arrangements forthe thematic panels is almost finalised.The WCDR Bureau is expected toaddress the question of establishment ofthe Drafting Committee at PrepCom2during its meeting on 4 October.

Lists formally closed at the end Augustfor applications for thematic sessions andfor the public forum, which are currentlybeing reviewed and reduced to amanageable number of between 50 and 60sessions. The public forum has attractedmany requests for participation (now full).Organization of thematic panels isunderway, with the participation ofrelevant agencies and lists of names forthe high level round tables is beingfinalized (due for completion by earlyOctober). A full timetable for all eventswill be ready in draft form for distributionat PrepCom2.

A new draft (9 August) of the programmeoutcome document is currently beingreviewed by Member States and otherstakeholders called Draft programmeoutcome document tentatively entitled"Building the resilience of nations andcommunities to disasters: elements for aprogramme of action, 2005-2015"(A/CONF.206/PC(II)/4, available athttp://www.unisdr.org/eng/wcdr/preparatory-process/prepcom2/p2-outcome-document.pdf), with no movementexpected before PrepCom2. It isanticipated that a drafting committee willbe established at PrepCom2 to advancework on the document to have the semi-final or final version ready before theWCDR.

Preparations for the WCDR

9

IVA declaration has yet not been initiated by theGovernment of Japan, however drafting isexpected to begin once the content of theprogramme outcome document is clearer, aprocess linked to the setting up of the above-mentioned Drafting Committee.

The WCDR communications strategy isfocusing on three areas:

1.Development and updating of the MediaRoom section within conference website;

2.Establishment of an informal journalistsnetwork, to promote and support theconference and the subject of disasterreduction; and

3.Production of a TV clip for wide audience;production of short documentaries onsubjects related to the conference.

An inter-agency communications group iskept abreast of developments, with the aimbeing to cooperate as much as possibletogether, and reinforce joint key messagesdirected at a broad audience. The UNDepartment of Public Information is alsocooperating on WCDR communicationsactivities and providing support via the UNInformation Centre in Tokyo.

Funding for WCDR

The additional costs for the UN and theISDR secretariat to prepare for and hold theWorld Conference on Disaster Reduction wasestimated to be more than US $4 million,including support to travel of delegates fromdeveloping countries.

The Government of Japan has committed intotal US $2.5 million for the WCDR andISDR, and will also cover local costs. Inaddition, the secretariat has received fundingand pledges for travel of delegates fromdeveloping countries and NGOs from Japan,Norway, Sweden, USA and Australia. Thereremains, however, a shortfall still in the orderof US$ 900,000. UN agencies (UNDP,UNESCO, WMO and others) will alsosupport travel of some delegates andparticipants from specific sectors. Eachorganizer of thematic sessions and publicforum is responsible for funding their ownrequirements.

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1. POLICY AND STRATEGY

FO

CU

SA

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AS

The development of policies andstrategies necessary for theadvancement of disaster risk reduction,particularly through collaboration withand support of United Nations bodiesand programmes, the ISDR Inter-agency Task Force, and otherinternational and regional bodies, and inresponse to emerging opportunities forand impediments to disaster riskreduction.

OU

TC

OM

ES



Lower priority

1.1

Framework, targets and programmefor disaster risk reduction (DRR)

1.2Mainstreaming of DRR in UNbodies and as part of SD

1.3IATF for implementation of ISDR

1.4Early Warning into policies anddrought reduction policies

1.5Strategies on climate risk& changes

1.6Coordinated science agendaon DRR

1.1 On-line dialogue on priority areas to implement disaster riskreduction: Helping to set a new international agenda

On 15 June-20 July 2004 the ISDR secretariat coordinated an on-lineconference based on the background document "Elements for ProgrammaticOutcome for the WCDR" previously discussed at the ninth session of theIATF/DR and made available to Member States at PrepCom 1 (backgrounddocument available at http://www.unisdr.org/WCDR-dialogue).

The purpose of the on-line dialogue was to provide a broad-based globaldiscussion between government representatives, experts and interestedstakeholders on priorities to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards.

The dialogue was divided into three discussions relating to different sectionsof the background document. Topic 1 addressed the draft goals, objectivesand priorities for action proposed for the WCDR. Topic 2 turned to themechanisms for implementing these. Topic 3 focused on the "voluntarypartnerships" mechanism proposed to complement the WCDRimplementation machinery.

Participants were asked to support their observations with examples of goodpractices or other lessons from experience, which provided a rich wealth ofcases and references, recorded in the report from the dialogue (seehttp://www.unisdr.org/WCDR-dialogue).

Outputs and impact• Participation of 730 people from 107 countries, repesenting governments,

academia, UN and other international organizations, NGOs andcommunity based organizations from a variey of sectors and backgrounds.

• The on-line dialogue became a forum for a greater public around the worldto participate actively in and take ownership of setting a global disasterreduction agenda for the following 10 years. The results provided valuablecontributions to defining global goals and priorities for disaster riskreduction. The recommendations have been used in the preparation of thedraft programme of action 2005-2015 that will be discussed at PrepCom2.

• Overall, participants agreed that the WCDR initial draft for an outcomeand programme (discussed at IATF/DR-9, May 2004) provided a solidfoundation for progress in the implementation of disaster risk reduction.The idea of setting overall goals and objectives was approved as a useful

1. Policy and Strategy

11

IV"Overall goal:The sustainedcommitment ofpolitical willand relatedresourceallocations fortangible riskmanagementpracticesplanned andconductedwithin astrategicframework."SolveigThorvaldsdottir

"Risk reduction,development andemergencyresponse arevery muchrelated: the needto recognise thislinkage shouldbe reflected inthe goal."David Stevens

means of increasing implementation, andthe three proposed goals were consideredrelevant and valid. The participantsendorsed the suggested implementationmechanisms and actions at the differentlevels, and the draft criteria and modalitiesfor guiding the operations of voluntarypartnership mechanisms.

• Many participants referred to activitiesthat could be considered "good practices"or examples for others to learn from,which are listed with references in the finalsummary of the on-line dialogue. Others,though, are short or anecdotal references.

• Both this and the previous on-linedialogue conducted by UN/ISDR withUNDP of 2003 on an updated frameworkfor guidance and monitoring of disasterrisk reduction represent the most visitedpages of the ISDR website, and inputshave served reference in many papers,studies and publications.

Percentage of participants by affiliation730 participants

Percentage of participation by topic

UN organization

14%

International

organization

13%

Government

26%

NGO- Comunnity /

Based Org.

15%

Academia

20%

Other

12%

Topic 1

54%

Topic 2

25%

Topic 3

21%

Proposed overall goals 2005-2015 (August 2004):

"….to take concrete steps over the next ten years to build the resilience of nations andcommunities to disaster, and to seek the following principal overall goals:

1.The substantial reduction of disaster losses, in lives and in the social, economic andenvironmental assets of communities and countries.

2.The integration of disaster risk considerations into sustainable development policies and intothe development planning and programmes of national and local government.

3.The development of stronger institutions, mechanisms and community capacities that cansystematically build resilience to natural hazards and disasters."

Draft programme outcome document tentatively entitled "Building the resilience of nations andcommunities to disasters: elements for a programme of action, 2005-2015" (A/CONF.206/PC(II)/4, 13August 2004)

Topic 1 Core objectives and areas for action, stemming from preliminaryconclusions of the review of implementation of disaster reduction Topic 2 Implementation mechanisms at local, national, regional and internationalscales. Links with existing developmental mechanisms and frameworks. Supportto national and local implementation and follow-up. Topic 3 Voluntary partnerships to support implementation, at all levels.Operational criteria and modalities. Links with relevant WSSD partnerships andother existing ones.

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1.2 Mainstreaming of disaster risk reductionin UN bodies and as part of sustainabledevelopment

Reports of the Secretary-General tothe UN General Assembly

The ISDR secretariat prepared the draftreport for the Secretary-General on theImplementation of the International Strategyfor Disaster Reduction (A/59/228), to bepresented by the Under-Secretary-General forHumanitarian Affairs and discussed at theSecond Committee of the 59th session of theGeneral Assembly in October 2004 underagenda item 87: Environment and sustainabledevelopment. Based on information compiledby the ISDR secretariat, as well as inputssolicited from UN agencies and otherIATF/DR members, the report includedinformation on international cooperation toreduce the impact of the El Niñophenomenon (in response to resolutionA/RES/57/255) as well as a section on naturaldisasters and vulnerability (A/RES/58/215)highlighting the role of disaster reduction asan essential policy tool to support adaptationto climate change. On this occasion the reportalso included an update on the preparations ofthe WCDR as requested in resolutionA/RES/58/214.

The ISDR secretariat has provided inputs toseveral other reports of the Secretary-Generalto both the UN Economic and Social Counciland General Assembly, among them 59/1 onthe Work of the Organization; the report onStrengthening the coordination of emergencyhumanitarian assistance of the UnitedNations, and the report on Internationalcooperation on humanitarian assistance in the

field of natural disasters, from relief todevelopment. Additional inputs were preparedfor the reports of the Commission onSustainable Development on risk managementaspects in human settlements, water andsanitation and for small island developingStates.

Outputs and impact• Improved mainstreaming and visibility of

disaster risk reduction in the relevant areasof reporting of the Secretary-General andthe United Nations system.

• A pending challenge is to better integratedisaster reduction into the work of the UNDevelopment Group (Common CountryAssessments, and UN DevelopmentAssistance Frameworks) and the assessmentof the Millennium Development Goals inconjunction with UNDP and otherstakeholders.

Small island developing States

The preparatory process for the review of theBarbados Plan of Action (BPoA+10) havetaken into consideration under the item"Natural Disasters" the ISDR as a strategy topromote disaster reduction in small islanddeveloping States. The link is also made withthe preparation and follow up to the WCDR.This follows the Background Paper, entitled"Small Island Developing States, Disasters,Risk and Vulnerability" prepare by theSecretariat and the participation of thePresident of Alliance of Small Island States(AOSIS), his Excellency Koonjul ofMauritius in the first Preparatory Committeefor the WCDR at Geneva.

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IVOutputs and impact• Recommendations included in the AOSIS

Strategy document that recognize the processleading to, and the follow-up to the WCDRin the preparation of the BPoA+10. A highlevel panel at the Mauritius Summit,organised by AOSIS which will conclude theBPoA review focussing on disasterreductrion and the WCDR.

Water agenda

The terms of reference (TOR) for UN-WATER have been finalised as requested bythe United Nations High Level Committee onProgrammimg. UN-WATER is now the inter-agency mechanism that promotes coherence in,and coordination of, UN system actions aimedat the implementation of the water agendadefined by the Millennium Declaration andthe World Summit on SustainableDevelopment. As an active member, the ISDRsecretariat has contributed both to theelaborations of the TOR with regard to waterrelated disasters, and is currently supportingthe development of the plan of work for theUN-WATER, which, inter-alia is supportingthe High Level Advisory Group on Waterestablished recently by the Secretary-General,as well as the upcoming Decade "Water ForLife" to be launched in March 2005.

Outputs and impact• Work plan of UN-WATER recognizing

disaster reduction as an integral part of thewater agenda to support the integration ofthe subject at national and sub-nationalstrategies and policies, in particularIntegrated Water Resources Management.

1.3 Inter-Agency Task Force on DisasterReduction (IATF/DR)

The secretariat supports and service the TaskForce, prepares great part of its backgrounddocumentation and ensures fluidcommunications to members. The IATF/DRwork programme 2004 was revised at theninth session of the IATF/DR in May 2004.It focused on supporting the thematic andsubstantive preparations for the WCDR and aworking group was established for thatpurpose. Many IATF/DR members are activein preparing thematic sessions, leading thework of thematic clusters and organizingpreparatory activities, consultations andreviews with their constituencies and regions.

The IATF/DR working groups established in2000 (WG1 on Climate; WG2 on EarlyWarning; WG4 Wildland fire) had allfinalized in 2003 and developed into eitherspecific programmes or networks, which willcontinue to inform the Task Force onprogress. WG3 on Risk, Vulnerability andDisaster Impact Assessment, chaired byUNDP, continues active throughout 2004. Inaddition to the WG on WCDR (convened bythe ISDR secretariat), two new groups wereset up in 2004: WG on Africa (co-chaired bythe AU and NEPAD secretariats) and a WGon Climate Change and Disaster Reduction(co-chaired by UNDP and WMO).

Working Group on Africa

As mentioned in relation to African regionalpolicy development, the main focus of thisworking group will be to support the multi-stakeholder process to develop and guide

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implementation of an African strategy fordisaster reduction. Other aspects of its workinclude the facilitation of regionalconsultations for WCDR, increasestakeholder coordination and collaboration ondisaster mitigation, and the creation of a bodyof knowledge on disaster reduction in Africa.

Working Group on Climate Changeand Disaster Reduction

The working group will address the followingissues:

(a) The importance of linking with the IPCCprocess. Interactions between the IPCCand ISDR secretariat and the IATF/DRshould be promoted, especially in thepreparatory phase of WCDR and IPCCfourth assessment report.

(b) Prepare elements for the IATF/DR toplay a catalytic role to generaterecognition of the climate change anddisaster reduction policy implicationamong stakeholders and governmentsinvolved in the WCDR. This shouldfocus on advocacy, policyrecommendations, and outreach to thepublic.

(c) Provide guidance on the needs ofdeveloping countries to developadaptation strategies, which shouldinclude the development of simple andrealistic impacts scenarios.

(d) Target the UNFCCC and small islanddeveloping States (SIDS) processes withrelevant information stemming from theworking group and ISDR secretariat.

(e) Address the environmental consequencesof climate events.

Outputs and Impact• Increased number of active members in the

IATF/DR during the last year (NEPADsecretariat from Africa, and EC/JRC andUNITAR. UNICEF has also expressedinterest in joining the Task Force), leadingto major involvement towards disasterreduction within member organizations.

• IATF/DR observers have almost doubled,from 37 at IATF/DR-8 in late 2003 to 61observer groups at IATF/DR-9 in May2004 (representing 48 Member States and13 organizations).

• The work programmes of the IATF/DRand that of the ISDR secretariat have beenbetter linked in 2004.

1.4 Platform for the Promotion of EarlyWarning

As part of its policy development initiatives,the ISDR secretariat established an outreachtemporary office in Bonn, Germany, to hostthe new Platform for the Promotion of EarlyWarning (PPEW). The PPEW arose fromthe train of activities of the now-disbandedIATF/DR working group on early warning,culminating in the recommendation for such aplatform at the Second InternationalConference on Early Warning held in Bonn(October 2003). The platform project issupported by the Government of Germanyand the office hosted by UN Volunteers(UNV). Three staff were brought into placearound July, including a senior officer to headthe office and, a programme officer, bothtransferred from the ISDR secretariat inGeneva, and a support contractor.

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IVThe office is primarily concerned withpromoting action on early warning issues, butit also contributes to other ISDR policyinitiatives and activities, particularly insupport of the IATF activities, on climatechange and water risks, including the ISDRcontribution to the UN water- andinteragency initiative. Conversely, ISDRsecretariat headquarters in Geneva andregional outreach offices programmescontribute their specialised inputs to supportthe platform project. Current prioritiesinclude the development of the platform'soperational capacities and outreach productsand the promotion of early warning in relevantinternational processes, most particularly inthe preparations for the WCDR.

The planning for 2005 includes consolidationof activities and support for the WCDR andfollow-up of WCDR recommendationsconcerning early warning. In addition newsubstantive tasks include support inpromoting benchmarking and cost-benefitanalysis for early warning systems.

Outputs and impactAlthough the Bonn office is quite new, somegood progress has been achieved:• An increased collaboration with other Bonn

based UN initiatives related to the area ofdisaster risk reduction, principally UNV,UN Framework Convention on ClimateChange (UNFCCC), UN Convention toCombat Desertification (UNCCD) and theUN University. This collaboration isexpected to develop into specific activitiesand policy support to increasemainstreaming of disaster risk reductioninto their activities.

• Specific products and outputs to dateinclude:− Publication and dissemination of EWC-

II summary publication in conjunctionwith DKKV and with support of theHelmholtz Foundation

− Interim revision and expansion of earlywarning materials on the ISDR websitecompleted in early April (see web pagehttp://www.unisdr.org/eng/risk-reduction/early-warning/rd-early-warning-eng.htm), and a new overallstructure and content is being developedat www.unisdr.org/ppew.

− Development and publication of aPPEW newsletter.

− Participation in and presentations onearly warning options at severalinternational conferences and seminars.

− Inputs on early warning provided forofficial UN documents, including thereports of the Secretary-General to theUN General Assembly and WCDRdocumentation. and the programmeoutcome document for the WCDR

• The PPEW is assisting the lead agencies(WMO, EC/JRC and UNU) for theWCDR Thematic Segment 2, on "Riskassessment, monitoring and early warning"2, in the planning of sessions under thissegment. Linkages are being developed withthe other UN entities in Bonn, principallyUNV, UNFCCC, UNCCD and UNU.

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1.5 Strategies on climate risk and change

Vulnerability and AdaptationResources Group (VARG)

The ISDR secretariat has assisted in ongoingcollaboration with the UNFCCC, inconnection with ISDR interventions atSubsidiary Body of Science and Technology ofUNFCCC (SBSTA-20), in Bonn (June2004), and planning for adaptation activitiesat COP-10, Buenos Aires (December). Apresentation was made to the VARG, acoalition of bilateral partners under theauspices of the World Bank, on a consultative

policy paper initiative to interlink climatechange, disasters and development. Apreparatory scoping project was undertakenby the ISDR secretariat over the last sixmonths with the assistance of a consultant andthe support of the Government of the UnitedKingdom.

Outcome and impact• As a result of the scoping paper and

presentation, the VARG has undertaken, inclose collaboration with the ISDRsecretariat to adopt, support and lead thedevelopment of this initiative.

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2.1.

Global public awareness

2.4Promotion of education & trainingin DRR

2.3National advocacy and platforms:LAC, Africa and Asia

2.5

Advocacy to special audiences

2.2

Regional advocacy capacities



Lower priority

2. ADVOCACY

The communication and promotion ofdisaster risk reduction concepts andpractices to specific target audiences inorder to persuade, obtain commitment,and mobilize resources toward thereduction of disaster risk and thedevelopment of a culture of resilience

2. Advocacy2.1 Global public awareness

Media

In June 2004 the ISDR secretariat and WCDR unit employed theservices of a media relations consultant to promote issues relating todisaster reduction, building momentum in the lead up to the WCDR.This new media capacity complements and builds upon existingawareness raising activities of the secretariat, and has proved equallyeffective in encouraging journalists to report on lessons learned in theimmediate aftermath of a disaster.

The 2004 hurricane season in the Caribbean generated a great deal ofmedia coverage on the subject of disaster reduction. News mediahighlighted Cuba's extensive experience and good practices inhurricane preparedness, comparing the relatively few mortalities andlosses with those of Florida, USA and other Caribbean islands hit byhurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.

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Outputs and impact• Development of the new section Media

room on the ISDR website, publishing up-to-date articles and press releases related todisaster reduction(http://www.unisdr.org/eng/media-room/media-room.htm).

• Media interviews with the ISDR secretariatand ISDR partners have been conductedand recorded with BBC and CNN news(television, radio and on-line), Frenchtelevision TF1, Italian TV, US radio,specialist journals including NationalGeographic, International DevelopmentReview and Natural Resources Forum, andnews wire services including UN News,Reuters Spanish EFE, and Agence FrancePresse have further disseminated reportsand articles throughout their networks.

• Increased cooperation with ISDR partnerorganization communications counterpartsto provide inputs and disseminationthroughout media and public informationnetworks related to disaster reduction.

• Collaboration with CRED and MunichRepublicizing and circulating new statistics tothe media, attracting significant coverage.

2004 World Disaster ReductionCampaign - "Learning fromtoday's disasters for tomorrow'shazards"

The ISDR secretariat launched the WorldDisaster Reduction Campaign that in2004 focuses on the theme of "learning".Learning to live with the risks thathazards pose to communities is one of thekey ways to protect people and propertyfrom the disastrous impacts of hazards,and can take place through formaleducation such as in schools anduniversities, or informal groups andnetworks such as community meetingsand advocacy activities.

The theme also represents the lead up tothe WCDR whereby participants willreflect on lessons learned from pastdisasters, in addition to paving the way forthe upcoming UN Decade for Educationon Sustainable Development (2005-2015).The Campaign culminates on theInternational Day for Disaster Reduction,Wednesday 13 October.

Living with Risk

The 2004 version of "Living with Risk: A global review of disaster reductioninitiatives" was officially launched by Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General forHumanitarian Affairs, on the occasion of the Economic and Social Council held inNew York (July 2004). Available for purchase from UN Sales Publications, the fulltext of the publication is also available on-line and will be available for purchase onCD-ROM by the end of 2004. The publication is also currently being translatedinto Spanish and Chinese.

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The key components of the Campaign are:

1.International art contest for young people aged16 and underTwelve pictures will be selected forpublication in a UN/ISDR 2005 calendarthat will be disseminated to participants ofthe WCDR and beyond, and will be framedand exhibited on-site at the Conference.

2.Let's learn to prevent disasters! educational kit+ Riskland gameUN/ISDR is working with UNICEF topromote the translation and adaptation ofthe educational kit into as many languagesas possible for display at the WCDR. Todate, the kit is available in English, HaitianCreole, Maya Kackchiquel, Nepali,Portuguese and Spanish, with translationsinto over 15 others currently underway.

3.On-line information kitIn contrast to previous Campaigns, this yearthe entire information kit has been placedon-line, comprising the announcement,educational kit, messages for theInternational Day and a range of weblinksto educational resources for young people.(see http://www.unisdr.org/eng/public_aware/world_camp/2004/pa-camp04-announc-eng.htm)

Outputs and impact• Development of innovative public-private

partnership with private UK-basedcommunications company Entico, who isresponsible for fundraising to support theproduction of the calendar and exhibition.

• Widespread interest from ministries ofeducation and involvement of NGOs inpromoting the art contest among youngpeople worldwide.

• Translation of educational kit into 15+languages by ISDR partners currentlyunderway, including adaptation to localconditions and cultures.

• Closer collaboration with UNICEF inpromoting children's participation indisaster reduction through joint educationalkit project.

• 2004 International Day for DisasterReduction media and public launch of videoof children playing Riskland increasingpublic awareness of the importance oflearning and young people's role in reducingrisk and vulnerability.

• Organization of special events on theoccasion of the International Day forDisaster Reduction worldwide.

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2004 UN Sasakawa Award forDisaster Reduction

The 2004 nomination process for the UnitedNations Sasakawa Award for DisasterReduction was launched worldwide in January2004 through UN/ISDR's regular channels,encouraging Permanent Missions in Geneva,UN Resident Coordinators network, UNagencies, former Sasakawa laureates,IATF/DR members, ISDR Support Groupmembers among others to join the ISDRsecretariat in identifying and rewarding

individuals and institutions fromaround the world whocontributed, through innovativepractices and outstandinginitiatives, to reducing the riskand vulnerabilities ofcommunities to natural hazards.

34 quality nominations werereceived and evaluatedthoroughly by the independentUN Sasakawa Jury, representingAfrica, Asia, Europe and theAmericas in September 2004.

The Jury decided to select Dr. OmarCardonaProfessor and Researcher at theNational University of Colombia inManizales as the 2004 UN Sasakawa AwardLaureate. The Award recognizes his long andcommitted scientific endeavours andpromotion of disaster reduction policies andtechnical soplutions to reduce risk and assessvulnerability. In addition to his academicactivities, Dr. Cardona has consistentlycontributed to Colombia's decision-makingprocess regarding the adoption of preventionmechanisms, as well as advancing the issue at

the international and regional fora. The Juryfound this high-quality contribution andcommitment most encouraging.

Certificates of Distinction were awarded toWalter Hays (USA), an engineeringseismologist who serves as Senior Fellow in theGlobal Institute for Energy and EnvironmentalSystems, University of North Carolina atCharlotte and as Executive Director of theGlobal Alliance for Disaster Reduction(GADR), as well as Gustavo Wilches-Chaux(Colombia), a lawyer, philosopher and authorpromoting local government and communitydevelopment of risk management andsustainable development, in recognition andappreciation of their respective outstandingcontributions to disaster reduction.

Certificates of Merit were awarded to the LocalGovernment of La Paz (Bolivia), and the SouthPacific Applied Geoscience Commission(SOPAC - Fiji), in appreciation of theirvaluable efforts to promote disaster reductionwithin their communities with worldwiderecognition.

The Award ceremony will take place on 7October 2004 in Geneva, in the context of thetenth session of the IATF/DR.

Outputs and impact• Increased public profile of the UN Sasakawa

Award and promotion of future nominationsto reward and widely publicize excellence andgood practice to implement disaster riskreduction. The UN Sasakawa laureate andcertificate recipients receive cash prizes inaddition to a traditional crystal trophy for thelaureate.

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IV2.2 Regional advocacy capacities

Latin America and the Caribbean

The ISDR regional outreach programme inLatin America and the Caribbean generatednew partnerships over the reporting period,such as that with the Association of CaribbeanACS, enhancing the implementation of theStrategy in the greater Caribbean.Collaboration with several UN agencies andother international organizations, has beenintensified, including with UNESCO,UNICEF and OAS in the field of educationfor disaster reduction. A regional meeting washeld in El Salvador to review the advancesover the past ten years, identifying gaps andopportunities as well as makingrecommendations for the future. Furthercollaboration has also taken place with IFRC,in particular the fields of public information,communication and community basededucation programmes.

Outputs and impact:• Increasing number of the magazine ISDR

Informs- Latin America and the Caribbeanreadership (in hardcopies in Spanish andEnglish and on the web)

• Continuing partnerships with PAHO,UNDP and CEPREDENAC haveresulted in many concrete initiatives, such asthe production of the new educational radiosoap opera (that deals with earthquakes andvolcanic eruptions) which is being widelybroadcast throughout Latin America.

• A new radio soap opera (on floods andhurricanes) is currently being prepared forthe English speaking Caribbean incollaboration with CDERA, ACS, IFRCand PAHO.

Africa

Outputs and impact• Included a third language of the Africa

Informs- Disaster risk reduction magazine,now available in English, French andPortuguese. This is the only compilationand means of communication on disaster riskreduction within Africa, and it has been usedto repreoduce articles and information inlocal means. The demand is heavilyincreasing but difficulties for reproductionand dissemination is still limiting widedissemination.

• ISDR outreach programme has initiated theconsultation for and preparation of additionalInformation products and educationalbooklets on environmental aspects and riskmanagement (with UNEP), on climatechange and disaster risk (with Africanexperts) and on Governance and disaster riskreduction (with UNDP).

2.3 National platforms for disaster riskreduction

The elaboration of national information for thereview of the Yokohama Strategy and Plan ofImplementation has stimulated many countriesto revisit their current coordinationmechanisms on disaster reduction.

An ongoing project of UNDP reviewinginstitutional and legal systems for disaster riskmanagement (see below) is also providingvaluable insights and recommendations forfurther strengthening the consolidation onnational mechanisms and platforms to dealwith disaster risk management, in particular indeveloping countries.

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The regional out-reach programmes in Africa and in LatinAmerica & the Caribbean has continued to promote thedevelopment of national platforms in those regions. In theregional consultations (see Policy) importantrecommendations were made to establish national platformswhere needed, or consolidate national mechanisms in place tocoordinate disaster risk reduction and to relate to the ISDR.

European national platforms have met in two occasion; oneamong Central European Disaster Prevention Forum(Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia), hosted by theCzech National Committee for Disaster Reduction inPrague; and another in Paris, convened by the Frenchnational platform and the UK advisory committee ondisaster reduction. The discussions focused on oimpreovedcpollaboration among countries, recommendations forWCDR and in then latter, on flood protection mesuares.

Tajikistan organized an internal on e-week workshop withADRC and the UN, where one of the topics was aimingtowards the development of a national platform for Tajikistan(see more under Asia- partnerships).

Outputs and impact• New national platforms announced in Colombia, Costa

Rica, Ecuador, Gabon, Kenya, Republic of the Congoand Uruguay,

• Network of institutional contacts at the national levelsubstantially updated on the basis of national inputssubmitted by countries towards the WCDR

• Increased collaboration with UNDP and UN countryteams in a few countries to support national platformdevelopment in developing countries.

• The European national platforms are currently finalizinga framework of cooperation among themselves. TheISDR secretariat and the German national platform(DKVV) developed a draft guideline for "Cooperationbetween the European national platforms and theUN/ISDR Secretariat"

• Prototype set of national profiles will be launched in thecoming months on the ISDR website

2.4 Promotion of education and training indisaster risk reduction

ISDR/OCHA 2004 Fellowshipprogramme on disaster risk reduction

Education and training represent fundamentalpillars for effective disaster risk reduction. In orderto promote the knowledge and expertise on thissubject, the UN/ISDR has continued a fellowshipprogramme in 2004 with the financial support ofOCHA. The aim is of support the participation ofpotential future decision-makers from developingcountries in available short-term training courses ondisaster risk management. The international courseswere selected based on the inventory of courses andexperience by the ISDR secretariat in 2003.

Outputs and impact• More than 40 candidates from Latin America &

the Caribbean, Africa and Asia were selectedjointly with the training institutions to participatein the following courses: − "Hazards assessment, seismology, risk

mitigation" of Geoforschungszentrum ofPotsdam, Germany for African countries;

− "Disaster Risk Reduction and Development" ofthe African Centre for Disaster Studies,Potchefstroom University, Siouth Africa;

− "Disaster and Development: Reducing Risk -Protecting Livelihoods" of University of CapeTown, South Africa;

− the "Regional Disaster Management Course" ofthe Asian Disaster Preparedness Center,Bangkok, Thailand; and

− the virtual course of "Gestión Integral de Riesgoy Desastres" of CIMNE of the Univesity ofCataluña, Spain for Latin Americanparticipants.

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3.1Synthesised information (LwR - globalreview, reviews, guidelines, etc)

3.2Expansion of reference databases

(individuals, organizations, programs, )

3.3Increased networks & exchange of

information

3.4

Upgraded ISDR Secretariat websites

3.5

Accessible ISDR library

3. INFORMATION & NETWORKS

The generation and dissemination ofinformation on disaster risk reduction tomeet policymaker and practitionerneeds, through the collection andsynthesis of knowledge, experience anddata, the enhancement of access toinformation products, the developmentand stimulation of networks of people,and the development of necessarysupporting information strategies andtechnical capacities.

3. Information management3.1 National inputs to the review of the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action

A summary of the findings of the review of the Yokohama Strategyand Plan of Action for a safer world ("Yokohama review") wasprepared for the second WCDR Preparatory Committee session heldon 11-12 October 2004 (document: A/CONF.206/PC(II)/3).

In addition to the contributions from agencies, regional bodies,experts and stakeholders from the IATF, participants in two on-linedialogues and experts, the review enjoyed the input of over 90countries (see box) that provided comprehensive national reports onthe current status of disaster risk reduction, which simultaneously willserve as background information material to be shared at the WCDRand will be elaborated further for broader use beyond the Conference.

Countries providing specific national informationto date

Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Angola, Armenia, Australia,Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bosnia andHerzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands,Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cameroon, Colombia, Comoros,Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo,Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France,Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary,India, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kenya,Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mauritania,Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Monaco, Montserrat,Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand,Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru,Philippine, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Saint Lucia, Serbiaand Montenegro, Somalia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Romania,Russian Federation, Rwanda, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia,South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, United Arabs Emirates, Uganda,Uruguay, USA, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

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In March 2004 the ISDR secretariat requestednational information on the status,achievements, gaps, recommendations andindications of good practices on disaster riskreduction. The purpose of the request was togather information for the review of theYokohama Strategy and Plan of Action, as wellas to initiate an "information baseline" collectionon disaster risk reduction. In addition therequest aimed at helping countries prepare fortheir participation in the WCDR, using theopportunity to establish a national platform ondisaster risk reduction or similar coordinationmechanisms through consultation among manystakeholders on the subject.

The information was provided largely asrequested in the areas of: • political commitment and institutional aspects;• risk identification and ealry warning;• knowledge management;• risk management applications and

instruments;• preparedness and contingency planning;• oustanding gaps and challenges; and• examples of good practice.

The ISDR secretariat worked closely withUNDP to support many of these nationalefforts throughout Asia, Latin America andAfrica.

Outputs and impact• Since the first session of the Preparatory

Committee (PrepCom1) for the WCDR inMay 2004, over 90 countries providednational information, which has beensystematically compiled and analysed by theISDR secretariat with collaboration fromUNDP. A preliminary summary of nationalinformation has been prepared to be shared as

an Information Document at IATF-10 (7-8October) and for the second session of theWCDR Preparatory Committee (11-12October). The summary will be madeavailable in due course.

• The majority of national inputs kept to theguidelines provided by the ISDR secretariatand followed the primary areas of the Policyframework to guide and monitor disasterrisk reduction (annex 1). In many casesinputs cited the preparation of nationalreports stimulated valuable discussion andassessment of the issue of disaster riskreduction at country level among thedifferent players.

• The information received by the ISDRsecretariat reflects widespread politicalcommitment to the subject, providing anoverall positive picture of actions sustainedin risk reduction efforts by the reportingcountries. However, no indicators areavailable on how the actions arecontributing to reduce the risk scenario ineach country.

• The national inputs highlighted a numberof challenges as being crucial to disaster riskreduction. A common challenge identifiedwas how to integrate disaster risk reductioninto national development strategiesconsidering the frequent inadequate human,technical and financial resources available.The lack of coordination among differentactors at both national and internationallevels was also a dominant feature in inputs.Countries expressed significant interest forinternational and regional support in thesetwo areas.

• The overall quality of the good practiceselaborated in the reports illustrates enrichedsocial, technical and organizationalcapabilities at the national level.

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IV3.2 Collaboration for improveddatabases and risk/vulnerability profiles

The ISDR secretariat's role as aninformation hub and clearinghouse for itswider partnership based on advocacy,networking and information managementembodies a complex process that comprisesa wide range of activities. Thedevelopment of an inter-agency"PreventionWeb" (as a sister to the existingReliefWeb) as a web portal is underway,and has been discussed with partners for2005.

Outputs and impact• Internal improvements and updating of

reference databases on disaster reductioncontacts/experts, organizations andinitiatives. This information is expectedto be available on the ISDR website(with search facilities) by the end of2004

• A cooperation agreement withUNEP/Global Resource InformationDatabase (GRID) to build web-basedhazards and vulnerability profiles hasbeen established.

• Under the section "Countryinformation" of the ISDR website thefollowing information available at date:− Listing of ISDR national platforms

and focal points for disaster reduction;− On-line hazard and vulnerability

information on earthquakes,volcanoes, floods, cyclones andtsunamis hazards for the period 1980-2003 (according to data availability);

− Prototypes of country information,including maps and information forISDR country profiles

3.3 Increased networks and exchange ofinformation

This is an outcome which draws from most of theother areas of work of the secretariat. The collectionof information to conduct the review of theYokohama Strategy and the upcoming publication“Know Risk” together with the publisher TudorRose has increased the network and exchange ofinformation, contacting institutions, countries,experts and other stakeholders. The preparation forthematic sessions and networking with UN agencies,regional and civil society organizations, co-sponsoring of thematic and regional consultationshave been bart of this effort.

Outputs and impact· The outcome is reflected in the ISDR information

products and reference database, which also servedfor dissemination of information such as monthlyelectronic ISDR Highlights.

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3.4 ISDR website

The ISDR website has continued to makesignificant progress, offering morecomprehensive information services to itsusers. New sections include the Media roomand a listing of meetings and conferencesrelated to disaster reduction, providing linksto news and partners websites for furtherinformation. The special WCDR websitesection is another frequently visited anddynamic feature.

Total hits per month 2003-2004

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

Aug

03

Sep

03

Oct

03

Nov

03

Dec

03

Jan

04

Feb

04

Mar

04

April

04

May

04

Jun

04

Jul

04

Aug

04

Outputs and impact• Total number of hits per month on the

ISDR website doubled in comparison tothose of one year ago. In addition, a greatamount of hits are reflected on the regionalwebsites in Africa (www.unisdrafrica.org,and Latin America and the Caribbean:www.eird.org)

3.5 Virtual library on disaster risk reduction

The ISDR library is rapidly expanding,making significant progress towards itsintegration into the UN library system ofGeneva. The ISDR secretariat is currentlypreparing a CD-ROM set of key referenceand information materials on disasterreduction, comprising a range of full-textdocuments originating from the UN'scollection and beyond (also to be on-line inearly 2005).

Outputs and impact• Increased cooperation between the ISDR

secretariat and partner organizationsthrough the acquisition of copyrights ofpublishing full-text documents.

• ISDR partners' inputs have providedvaluable contributions for the improvementof the ISDR secretariat's role clearinghousefor the disaster reduction community.

• Production of CD-ROM set to bedissemination free-of-charge to participantsat the WCDR.

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4.1Promotion of partnerships forpolicies and strategies on DRR

4.3Collaboration with specialistfields

4.2Projects and programmespartnershipsfor practicalapplication good practices&

The engagement in partnerships devotedto projects and activities that stimulateand test specific disaster risk reductionapplications, including policy and strategyapplications or that develop specialisttechnical knowledge needed for disasterreduction.

4. PARTNESHIPFOR APPLICATIONS

4. Partnerships for applicationThe promotion of strategic partnerships for implementing disaster reduction isan important element of the ISDR strategic framework. One of the expectedoutcomes of the WCDR is a set of specific initiatives or partnerships to supportthe implementation of the Programme of Action (see box). This will be linked tothe partnership mechanisms created following the World Summit onSustainable Development, coordinated by the Commission on SustainableDevelopment.

More coordination among partners and regional and international stakeholdersis needed to effectively support vulnerable countries in addressing the objectivesof the ISDR, in addition to the priorities that will be set at the WCDR.Strategic partnerships to support implementation and information sharing incritical areas can have a wider impact than ad-hoc and little-knowninitiatives. The regional dimension is a key priority.

In section 5 partner organizations inform about their own activities, conductedas institutional commitments or in partnerships with others.

Partnership Mechanism

"…Countries, organizations, international financial institutions, and the private sectorare invited to initiate and expand voluntary, multi-stakeholder partnerships to supportthe achievement of the stated objectives, priorities and follow-up activities, by means ofmajor partnerships that either (a) commit to or demonstrate the achievement of targetedactions by countries and organizations, or (b) mobilize resources and build capacities,or (c) develop innovations in policy, technical methodology and good practices.

…The Secretariat of the ISDR is requested to develop and maintain a register ofpartnerships that meet the above criteria and that are consistent with the partnershipprinciples set out by the General Assembly, including the need for transparency andaccountability, and to assist in the promotion and dissemination of the achievementsof the partnerships. This should be done in liaison with the Commission onSustainable Development, serving as the focal point for partnerships promotingsustainable development and the implementation of Agenda 21 and the JohannesburgPlan of Implementation. The Secretariat of the ISDR is requested to cooperate withthe Secretariat of the Commission for Sustainable Development to ensure that theregistered partnerships are included in the partnership database operated by theCommission for Sustainable Development and are subject to the same managementstandards and reporting procedures."

Draft programme outcome document tentatively entitled "Building the resilience ofnations and communities to disasters: elements for a programme of action, 2005-2015" (A/CONF.206/PC(II)/4, 13 August 2004)

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4.1 Regional partnerships for policies andstrategies on disaster risk reduction

Africa

The African ISDR outreachprogramme has attractedincreased interest andinvolvement fromorganizations and UNagencies of the region, inparticular from UNDP, UNEP and theAfrican Development Bank (ADB). Atripartite partnership now exists between theADB, AU/NEPAD and the ISDR Africanoutreach programme, which provedinstrumental in conducting the regionalreview of disaster reduction initiatives as wellas the regional strategy and guidelines ondisaster reduction (also supported byUNDP). Inter-agency advocacy efforts of theISDR African outreach programme includededucational and information materials andworkshops that further strengthened andfacilitated information sharing and knowledgeexchange.

Outputs and impact• Increased leadership and ownership of

AU/NEPAD in the process of the regionalstrategy on disaster risk management,including participation in the IATF/DRworking group on Africa.

• Joint review and development of strategyand guidelines on disaster reduction byUN/ISDR, ADB and AU/NEPAD.

Africa in preparation for WCDRIn June 2004 an African regional consultationtook place in Johannesburg motivated by

ISDR and the WCDR, attractingrepresentatives from over 30 African countriesand many regional and internationalorganizations. Convened by the AU andNEPAD secretariat with support fromUNDP, the World Bank and the ISDRsecretariat, the meeting provided strategicdirections and specific recommendations forintegrating disaster risk reduction intosustainable development at all levels. Theconsultation built on preparatory studies andreviews and a draft strategy prepared byNEPAD secretariat in collaboration with theAfrican Development Bank, ISDR secretariatand UNDP. An African expert meetingpreceded the consultation, and the IATFworking group on Africa had provided adviceon the strategy and the process.

It formulated an African Regional Strategy forDisaster Risk Reduction that was presentedand adopted in July 2004 by AfricanMinisters of the Environment (AMCEN)and later supported by African Heads ofStates at their third ordinary session of theAssembly of the African Union in AddisAbaba, July 2004. The Assembly resolutionAU/Dec.49 mandates the AU Commissionand the NEPAD secretariat to work closelywith ISDR partners to develop a programmeof work that will enable member States tointegrate disaster risk reduction into nationaldevelopment processes. The regionalconsultation emphasised that investment indisaster risk reduction acts as an insurancepolicy for investment and development gainsin Africa.

Outputs and impact• The most notable result of the consultation

was the review and adoption of an African

29

IVregional strategy for disaster risk reduction,which was presented and adopted byAfrican Ministers of the Environment(AMCEN) in their meeting in June, andlater endorsed by African Heads of State attheir third ordinary session of the Assemblyof the African Union in Addis Ababa, July2004. The Assembly resolution AU/Dec.49mandates the AU Commission and theNEPAD secretariat to work closely withISDR partners to develop a programme ofwork that will enable member States tointegrate disaster risk reduction intonational development processes.

• The AU Commission and NEPADsecretariat were also mandated at the AUAssembly to work closely with ISDRpartners "to develop a programme of workthat will enable member States to integratedisaster risk reduction into nationaldevelopment processes" (Assemblyresolution AU/Dec.49).

Asia

In accordance to the ISDRAsia Partnership establishedin late 2003 and launched in2004 in the ADRCsponsored Asian Conferenceon Disaster Reduction inSiam Reap, Cambodia, the ISDR secretariathas been gradually expanding its presence andoutreach in Asia in Kobe (Japan), Bangkok(Thailand) and Dushanbe (Tajikistan).

With support from OCHA and theGovernment of Japan, a part-time programmeofficer commenced in July within the OCHAoffice in Kobe. She will be focusing her ISDR

time on the preparations for the WCDR in2004, and following up on national and NGOinitiatives and networks throughout 2005.

The ISDR secretariat recently engaged theservices of a consultant based in Bangkok,made possible by additional support from theGovernments of Sweden and Norway. Hismain task is to support ISDR partners in theregion - ADPC, ADRC, UN/ESCAP andUNDP - to consolidate information productsfor Asia, including Issue 1 of DisasterReduction in Asia - ISDR Informs (Issue 0was launched in late 2003). In the periodleading up to the WCDR, he is also helpingto formulate follow-up options to a study onenvironmental degradation and disaster risk,developed by ADPC and supported by SIDA,Sweden, early 2004.

During the reporting period the ISDRsecretariat visited Central Asia on severaloccasions to support the preparation for theWCDR in Central Asia and pave the way forthe ISDR outreach in this region. The ISDRoutreach post for Central Asia is hosted byUNDP in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. AnAssociate Expert from Norway was selected towork in close collaboration with UNDP,OCHA and other regional stakeholders todisseminate information and advocate disasterrisk reduction and regional networking on thesubject.

In August 2004 the Ministry of EmergenciesSituations and Civil Defense, ADRC and theUN Disaster Risk Management Project inTajikistan organized a national workshop ondisaster risk management for senior officials,in cooperation with UNDP/BCPR, the SwissCooperation Office and the ISDR secretariat,

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aiming at promoting multi-level and multi-sectoral cooperation and collaboration indisaster risk reduction and integration ofdisaster risk reduction into nationaldevelopment planning, policies andimplementations. Panel discussions duringthe workshop were oriented to evaluate theprogress and identify gaps and constraints indisaster reduction.

Outputs and impact• Increased ISDR secretariat networking

capacity in Asia to support the regionalpartnership, carrying a different format thanISDR regional outreach in Latin America& the Caribbean and in Africa. The resultsof this recent capacity will not be apparentuntil 2005.

• Development and support of follow-upactivities to ongoing programmes ofUNDP-BCPR in Central Asia and South-East Asia, to continue throughout 2004-2005.

• The ISDR secretariat has also beeninvolved in lessons learned review of theIranian earthquake in Bam, and issupporting OCHA, the Government ofIran and other stakeholders to organize aninternational seminar on seismic riskmanagement to be held on 16-18 Novemberin Teheran, Iran.

Asia in preparation for the WCDRRegional meetings to review progress,coordinate efforts and discuss future prioritiesfor disaster reduction and development inAsia took place in Cambodia, Bangladesh,Philippines and China, sponsored by thehosting governments, ADRC, ADPC, WHOand the UN/ISDR respectively. Such

meetings also took the opportunity to discussand develop the concept of "Total DisasterRisk Management", currently beingdeveloped within the region.

In May 2004 China hosted a consultativemeeting in Beijing in preparation for theWCDR, which drew on the conclusions fromthe above-mentioned meetings.

Outputs and impact• The "Beijing Declaration on the World

Conference on Disaster Reduction" adoptedby representatives of 18 countries and sixinternational or regional organizations,presenting the Asian perspective on thesubject for WCDR and appealing forfurther political commitment and increasedinvestment in disaster reduction.

Europe in preparation for theWCDR

The European Commission,with its Directorate Generalfor External relations (DG-Relex) as a focal point, hasbeen increasingly engaged inthe preparations for theWCDR. Several services and directorates areengaged in activities related to disaster riskreduction. The most relevant policies are thehumanitarian (disaster preparedness ECHO),research and environmental (includes civilprotection). Recent policy documents, notablythe Commission Communication on a GlobalPartnership for Sustainable Development1,highlight that it is imperative to design

1 "Towards a Global Partnership for Sustainable Development". COM(2002) 82 final, 13.2.2002

31

IVappropriate development policies to reducedisaster risk. In this Communication theCommission committed itself to "integrate disasterprevention into European Union developmentand environment policies" - a clear reinforcementof the commitment made already in the 2001Commission Communication on Linking Relief,Rehabilitation and Development2 where disasterpreparedness is seen as an issue that requires"increased attention both in humanitarianassistance, and particularly in development co-operation strategies and programmes".

Outputs and impact• As a member of the IATF/DR, DG-JRC (EC

Join Research Centre) in Ispra has played andactive role in supporting DG-Relex. In additionJRC was instrumental in preparing a session onsystemic risks together with OECD for theWCDR. This included the organization of apreparatory joint seminar of over 100 expertsheld on 20 September 2004 on "Systemic Risksand Lessons learned - on the road to the WorldConference on Disaster Reduction", inKarlskoga, Sweden, co-sponsored by theSwedish Rescue service, EC-DG/JRC andOECD.

• ECHO is currently reviewing a proposalsubmitted by the ISDR secretariat and OCHAto support the sharing of good practices indisaster preparedness and risk reduction as acontribution to the WCDR and advocacy forrisk reduction.

· The preparations for the WCDR has presentedpotential opportunities for future collaborationbetween the EC and the ISDR secretariat,promoting the regional implementation ofdisaster risk reduction.

Latin America and the Caribbeanin preparation for the WCDR

In addition to severalmeetings in the Americasin preparation for theWCDR related to healthand water systems andeducation and socialcommunication (see partnerships section), aregional policy consultation was convenedby the Government of Ecuador incollaboration with PAHO/WHO, UNDP,the ISDR secretariat and with financialsupport from the Swiss Cooperation(COSUDE). Attracting approximately 100participants from 17 countries of theregion, international and regionalorganizations and governments, theconsultation served as an opportunity tocompile regional inputs to the current draftof the programme outcome document forthe WCDR, to be presented at PrepCom2in October 2004.

A similar consultation had been planned forthe English-speaking Caribbean organizedby UWI, CDERA and OPDEM on"Managing hazards in the 21st Century" on12-16 September 2004. However, duringthe same week Hurricane Ivan struckJamaica, causing widespread damage andforced the organizers to postpone themeeting until a later date.

An additional significant policydevelopment in the region was theendorsement of the "Andean strategy forprevention and response" by Andean Headsof State (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru,Venezuela). The Strategy is based on multi-

Systemic risk: Riskaffecting the entiresociety and/orcriticalinfrastructure.Need forunderstanding theinter-connectiveness andcomplexity of"highly uncertain,intricateconcatenating seriesof events affectingvital complexsocietal systems".

Holistic:Emphasising theimportance of thewhole and theinterdependence ofits parts.

2 "Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development-An Assessment".COM (2001) 153 final, 23.4.2001

32


sectoral consultations in each country. Inaccordance with the ISDR framework, it containsdetailed recommendations on policy, information,identification, monitoring and evaluation of risks,institutional and capacity building and mutualassistance in disaster situations. The Strategy alsoidentifies activities and programmes to bedeveloped by specific sectors. The development ofthe Strategy was spearheaded by the new AndeanCentre for Disaster Prevention and Response(CAPRADE) and sponsored by CAF, UNDPand others.

Outputs and impact• The Quito consultation brought a number of

concrete recommendations to the draft WCDRprogamme outcome document, addingsuggestions for additional priorities andemphasising among other areas strongerlinkages and responses to the effects of climatechange. The meeting also stressed the need forclear targets and indicators for progress as aresult of the WCDR.

The Pacific in preparation for theWCDR

South Pacific countries joinedforces to discuss a regionalposition paper for the WCDRand a draft "Pacific regionalstrategic action plan for disasterrisk reduction" at a workshop held in June in Fiji,organized by SOPAC and supported by thegovernments of Australia and New Zealand. TheAction Plan addresses the implementation of theYokohama Strategy and Plan of Action and theJohannesburg Plan of Implementation, providingpolicy guidance and encouraging a systematicapproach to disaster reduction in the region.

Thematic policy consultationsA selection of thematic policyconsultations in partnership

Gender equalityAugust 2004, Hawaii

On 10-12 August a workshop was heldin Honolulu, Hawaii that provided aforum for dialogue and strategizingacross disciplines, sectors, regions and allother boundaries that divide those withshared concerns about social equality andthe risk of disaster. The workshop,organized by the Gender DisasterNetwork succeeded in recommendingstrategies and reviewed practical toolsrelating to recommendations fromprevious work on gender equality anddisaster risk reduction, supported byactivities developed through the GenderDisaster Network and the UnitedNations Division for the Advancement ofWomen.

Specific areas addressed at the meetingincluded:

• dialogue across disciplines, regions,and sectors about empowering womenand reducing the risk of disaster;

• integrating gender and disasterconcerns into parallel dialogues aboutglobal development, environmentalracism, environmental sustainability,global feminisms and other socialmovements for change;

· sharing and learning about strategiesfor transforming organizational culture

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IVin disaster management

• strategies for an integrated approachbuilding gender equality into crisisresponse and reconstruction

• consultations to design and developeducational resources promotingawareness, training and education ongender equality and disaster risk reduction

Urban risk: Building disasterresilient citiesWorld Urban Forum - 13-17 September2004, Barcelona (Spain)

The second World Urban Forum broughttogether around 3,000 participants fromgovernments, local governments, NGOs,UN and experts, with one key area ofinterest being the increasing concern forurban risk and threats of natural hazardsand other man-made risks and crisisrecovery. A thematic dialogue focused onurban disasters and reconstruction:Sustainable relief in post-crisis situations;transforming disasters into opportunities forsustainable development in humansettlements. The dialogue drew itsconclusions from several networking eventson Building resilient cities in which theISDR secretariat collaborated with UN-Habitat, What is the civil society doing?organised by the Disaster MitigationInstitute, India, and The role of nationaland local authorities in peace-building andinstitutional development, organised by theFederation of CanadianMunicipalities/International Center forMunicipal Development. The

recommendations of these events will bebrought to WCDR, in particular thoserelated to the involvement of localGovernments and community based groupsin risk reduction, crisis management andsustainable recovery in human settlements.Civil society highlighted the need for dataon safety and risk to be widely known tocommunities and also to for them toparticipate in monitoring and datacollection. A concept of "reporting cityalliances" was suggested to that extent.

Communication and EducationIn Latin America two workshops were heldin August 2004 on communication andeducation, in Guatemala and El Salvador,respectively.

UNESCO, PAHO/WHO, IFRC andUN/ISDR Latin America and theCaribbean co-organized the regionalmeeting on "Communication and publicinformation strategies for disasterreduction", supported by the TrainingCenter of Spanish InternationalCooperation Agency (AECI). The meetingattracted communication experts, nationaland local authorities, scientists and mediafrom 14 Latin American countries, inaddition to several international, regionaland donor institutions such asCEPREDENAC, ACS; UNDP, UN-HABITAT and JICA, COSUDE andDIPECHO. The workshop was anopportunity to share experiences and lessonslearned on communication strategies forrisk management and disaster reduction,

34


identifying areas for the formulation ofstrategies for adoption at the national andregional levels. It also made specificrecommendations and targets to be achievedby 2015, for inclusion in discussions at theWCDR in the areas of: (a) policies and strategies related toeducational communication and publicinformation, (b)the Role of Media inDisaster Reduction, and (c) the use ofscientific information and publicunderstanding of it.

The Latin American and Caribbeanmeeting on education for disaster riskreduction held in El Salvador drew 114representatives from 17 hemisphericnations, including education experts, schoolinfrastructure and risk management, publicauthorities, sub-regional, regional andinternational organizations, NGOs and

communitiy leaders together to discusseducation for disaster reduction. Themeeting was supported by UN/ISDR,UNESCO, OAS, UNICEF, theFundación Salvadoreña de Apoyo Integral(FUSAI), the Ministry of Environmentand National Resources of El Salvador, theNational Service for Territorial Studies,among key cooperation agencies. Themeeting advanced the hemispheric actionplan (EDUPLANhemiférico) thatencompasses educational physicalinfrastructure, public participation andacademic aspects, making concreterecommendations that emphasised theimportance of formal and informaleducation, and affirming the importance ofrisk management education within nationaleducation policies.

4.2 Partnerships for practical application

International platform for disasterrecovery and reconstruction

In response to an often mentioned need inECOSOC and other bodies and based onrecent recovery needs, Japan has initiated adialogue with UNDP, the ISDR secretariatand OCHA to work jointly on a proposalwith relevant agencies and governments tolaunch a new initiative to improve lessons-learned, information sharing and assessmentcapacities for transitional recovery andreconstruction to natural hazards. The gap inthis area had been identified through aninternal self-assessment of mandates,

capacities and activities among UNDP,OCHA and UN/ISDR in 2003. A particular shortcoming is the lack ofresource mobilization frameworks fortransitional recovery, while the ConsolidatedAppeal Process exists for immediate relief andrehabilitation, and international financialinstitutions provide mechanisms for long-termreconstruction loans.

Outputs and impact• UNDP is taking the lead to identify

appropriate format and content for such anetworking facility and platform, based onlast years ad-hoc transitional recovery plans,in close partnership with the ISDRsecretariat, OCHA and Japan. Building on

35

IVexisting networks of expertise in differentareas of recovery needs, the platform wouldfocus on building common frameworks forassessment of needs, resource mobilizationand dissemination of good and badpractices.

• A consultative process among countries andother UN agencies is planned in the monthsleading up to the WCDR for a possiblelaunching of the initiative at the WCDR.

El Niño: International researchcenter for the El Niño phenomenon (CIIFEN - Guayaquil, Ecuador)

Sponsored by WMO and the Government ofEcuador, CIIFEN's work has advanced withthe continuing support of the ISDR secretariat.ISDR and other regional partners have beenpromoting the center throughout LatinAmerica and the Caribbean to gain increasingpolitical recognition. An international boardwas established in 2004, a fundraising strategydeveloped and specific projects identified. Thefirst official meeting for the international boardis scheduled for November 2004 under theauspices of WMO.

CIIFEN has also joined forces with theAndean Development Bank (Corporación

Andina de Fomento - CAF) for theimplementation of the project entitled"Organizational and managerial assistance forthe consolidation of CIIFEN", aiming tobuilding a regional platform, define a strategicplan of action and consolidate CIIFEN at theinternational and institutional levels. With theassistance of international consultants andsectorial participation from the Andean regionthe project is expected to be completed byOctober 2004.

Outputs and impact• Two pilot projects on agriculture-climate

and health-climate applications werefinalized and promoted by CIIFEN,attracting funding for a project on climaterisk indexes on agriculture, road andsettlements infrastructure on theEcuadorian coast, developed in cooperationwith the Ecuadorian national meteorologicaland hydrological service.

• A regional modeling workshop held atCIIFEN triggered a strategic process toimplement a regional ocean model in thesoutheastern Pacific which complementsexisting climate models and national effortson atmospheric modeling as well asattracting active participation by the USNational Science Foundation.

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5.1 Human resources

Over the reporting period, the ISDRsecretariat has continued its organizationaldevelopment process with a view to enhanceits capacity and effectiveness. The currentorganizational chart is attached. The additionof new staff for African and Asian outreach istimely and will contribute to provide supportto ongoing intergovernmental and inter-agency efforts in those regions. AdditionalAssociate Experts are sought for the Latin

5. Organizational developmentAmerica & Caribbean office in Costa Rica aswell as the Promotional Platform for EarlyWarning in Bonn.

The WCDR special unit continues to play akey role in this period and will be closed downshortly after the final reporting on the WCDRexpected by April 2005.

The ISDR secretariat has received humanresources support from partner agencies;including one staff shared with OCHA based

Figure 3ISDR Secretariat organizational chart1 2004

USG for Humanitarian AffairsJan Egeland

DIRECTOR'S OFFICESalvano Briceño, Director

Helena Molin Valdés, Deputy DirectorChristel Rose

Astrid Gallecier, Sarah Landelle

John HorekensConference Coordinator

Naoko Obi(John Harding)(Yuki Matsuoka(Elena Dokhlik)

Brigitte Leoni, Media relations3

Christel Rose)

WCDR Unit2

Feng Min Kan

Noro Rakotondrandria (local)Pamela Mubuta (local )7

8Ib Knutsen

Elina Palm

Dave ZervaasMargarita Villalobos (local)

9

Reid Basher (Bonn)

John Harding

Yuichi Ono (Bonn)Mohamed Abchir

Terry Jeggle

Haris SanahujaNicole Rencoret

Marielou Darricau

Pedro Basabe

Mario BarrantesMohammed Muwaabe

Elena Dokhlik

Christine Alessi

Sam HammondStephanie Boubault

Africa(Nairobi, Kenya)

Latin American andthe Caribbean

(San José,Costa Rica)

Policy/Strategy(incl. EW platform in

Bonn, Germany)

Advocacy InformationAdm./Prog.

Support

AsiaPacificEurope3

Takako Izumi(Kobe, Japan)5

Tine Ramstad(Dushanbe, Tajikistan)6

1 The ISDR Secretariat work plan has four areas: Policy and strategy support; Advocacy & public awareness; Information and networking; and Partnerships for application. Regional programmes cover activities in all four areas, and Partnerships for application are cross-cutting.

2 The WCDR Unit is temporary and coordinates actions related to the organization of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (Kobe-Hyogo, Japan, 18-22 January 2005). 3 Hired temporarily as consultant4 Programmes in Asia, the Pacific and Europe are under development and currently managed from Geneva .5 This post is shared with OCHA6 Associate Expert from Norway (as of 12 August 2004) in support of the Central Asia programme, hosted by UNDP7 Funded by UNEP.8 Associate Expert from Norway (as of 1 August 2004)9 General Coordinator of CRID, contribution of the ISDR to the inter-agency Regional Center on Disaster Information (CRID)

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IVin OCHA's Kobe office and a one year loan of a senioradviser from UNDP/BCPR, effective 1 November.This is a welcome trend which will support the ISDRsecretariat's core functions, in particular its inter-agency role.

Discussions with other UN and non-UN partners areongoing to seek similar support, including possiblehosting and sponsorship of ISDR staff at theirrespective programmes to promote and facilitatefurther mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction intotheir own agendas. This will be particularly relevant tothe implementation of the programme outcome of theWCDR in 2005 and beyond.

Areas in which the ISDR secretariat still needsstrengthening include donor relations and resourcemobilisation. Presently, such responsibilities are beingtemporarily covered by the WCDR ConferenceCoordinator; however, a full-time senior post shouldbe dedicated to this function following the WCDR.

5.2 Financial resources

Financial resources

New or additional contributions to the Trust Fund forDisaster Reduction (ISDR) have been received from

the Governments of Cyprus,Germany, Japan, Norway, thePhilippines, Switzerland, the UnitedKingdom and the United States sinceMay 2004. The United Kingdomcontinues to represent the majordonor to ISDR in 2004, followed byGermany, Sweden, Switzerland,Japan, Norway, United States,Canada, South Africa, Cyprus andthe Philippines. (see annex 2 for fulllist of contributions). ISDR has alsoreceived support funding fromUNDP and WMO to engage injoint activities.

To date, almost 75 per cent of the2004 total funding requirements forISDR have been met as presented inthe fundraising document An openopportunity to reduce disasterimpacts. Requests for funding tosupport the ISDR and its secretariat2004-2005.

However, 2005 total fundingrequirements are only partly coveredby pledges (20 per cent), providinglittle security and capacity to plan forhuman resources and othercommitments in the coming year.This does not include the preparationand holding of the WorldConference, which is kept separate.

An outstanding challenge remainsensuring more stable and predictablefunding for the ISDR secretariat,linked to the potential futurerecognition within the UN regularbudget.

"Given theimportance ofdisaster reductionin theachievement ofsustainabledevelopment, IencourageMember Statesto activelysupport theconsolidation ofthe ISDR as anessentialinstrument forsustainabledevelopment…Iwould encouragethe internationalcommunity toprovide thenecessaryfinancial supportto the Trust Fundfor the strategyin order toensure theadequate supportfor the activitiesof thesecretariat."

Report of theSecretary-General to theUN GeneralAssembly,59/228

UN/ISDR (do not include

WCDR)

2004-22005Biennial

EstimatedReq.

2004-22005Received

or pledged

2004-22005% covered

Baseline budget 9,598,000 4,745,904 49

Additionalneeds, specialpriorities

2,913,000 967,226 33

Total 12,511,000 5,713,130 46

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Regional review and upcomingevaluation of ISDR

DFID regional review

As part of its annual monitoring activities withISDR, the UK Department for InternationalDevelopment conducted a review of the ISDRregional outreach programmes in Africa and LatinAmerica and the Caribbean in August 2004. Itsmain purpose was to look at: (a) what impact andvalue-added the ISDR and the secretariat ishaving in the regions and how this impact ismonitored; (b) the relevance and appropriatenessof the secretariat's objectives at the regional level;(c) how effectively the secretariat's work plan isbeing rolled out in the regions; and (d) theeffectiveness for coordination between the regionsand the secretariat in Geneva.

Main conclusions of the review include:

• ISDR's main perceived role and value-added is acatalytic one, i.e. bringing together andmobilizing other actors, including nationalgovernments, to more effectively tackle disasterrisk reduction.

• Both ISDR regional outreach programmes useof innovative awareness products 0have provedvaluable in providing strategic engagement withnew partners.

• The challenge of limited resources has forcedthe ISDR regional outreach programmes toforge active partnerships in areas such as costand human-resource sharing - including co-funding with governments - resulting in agreater chance of being owned at the nationallevel.

• Strong differences exist between the two regionswhich means that activities are not always jointlyapplicable across the regions.

Recommendations included improvementsin:

• profiling the role and work programmeof ISDR among countries and otheragencies;

• monitoring and evaluation capacities forincreased learning among the regionsand with the Geneva based staff;

• staff capacity at the ISDR secretariat fordonor relations and resourcemobilizations; and

• exit strategies in areas where work hasbeen conducted during a long period oftime and other actors and nationalinstitutions are taking over.

The need for clear plans for follow-upsuopport to the WCDR and thecoordination role of ISDR at the regionallevel was also highlighted andrecommended.

Evaluation of ISDR

USG for Humanitarian Affairs, JanEgeland, who oversees the ISDRsecretariat, had suggested to conduct anindependent evaluation to determine theadded value, relevance and impact of thework of the ISDR secretariat and theISDR as a global and inter-agencymechanism, prior to WCDR as a means toprovide more specific recommendations tobe consider by the Conference. However,following consultation with key partnersand donors, the evaluation has beenpostponed until after the WCDR and istentatively scheduled for March-July2004.

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Partner organizations informs VThe implementation of the ISDR is only possible if it is adopted by governments, regional and internationalorganizations dealing with development and the interface between humanitarian assistance and recovery. Thenumber of concrete initiatives in the various sectors and communities affected by disaster risk are increasing,and UN programmes and specialized agencies are further enhancing their capacities in support of nationaland local implementation of disaster reduction.

A selection of examples of such developments are presented below, set out in accordance with the mainthematic areas defined in the updated policy framework for disaster risk reduction (annex 1). This willrepresent an increasing feature of future ISDR Information Notes, under the auspices of the Inter-AgencyTask Force on Disaster Reduction.

Institutional and Legislative SystemsUNDP is currently undertaking a globalanalysis of National Disaster RiskManagement and Reduction Institutionswith the aim to review the results ofUNDP's past and ongoing assistance in thedevelopment of institutional and legislativesystems for disaster reduction in itsprogramme countries. In-depth analyseswere carried out in 17 countries in Africa,Asia & Pacific, Latin America & theCaribbean, and Eastern Europe & the CIS.The results from these country analyses wereshared during a global workshop, which washeld in September in Geneva. The lessonslearned and good practices identified will befed into UNDP's ongoing work in capacitybuilding and training with a view toincreasing the effectiveness and impact of itsinterventions. The project will also provideinputs to the WCDR.

Local Level Risk Management ReviewThe importance of the active participation ofthe local population in managing andreducing disaster risk and responding todisasters has been widely recognised andefforts have been made to strengthen localcapacities for disaster preparedness and

1 Governance - Institutional and legalframeworks for disaster risk reduction

United Nations DevelopmentProgramme - Bureau for CrisisPrevention and Recovery (UNDP-BCPR)

UNDP-BCPR's Disaster Reduction Unitlaunched a report in early 2004 “ReducingDisaster Risk: A Challenge for Development”,to improve global understanding of therelationship between development and disasterrisk. This report introduced a Global DisasterRisk Index which measures the relativevulnerability of countries to three key naturalhazards (earthquakes, tropical cyclones andfloods), identifying development factors thatcontribute to increased risk levels as well aspolicy options to address these risks in thecontext of the Millennium Development Goals.Good governance was highlighted in the reportas being essential for ensuring that developmentpolicy alternatives contribute to managing andreducing disaster risk. The report is available inthree languages (English, French, Spanish), withthe Executive Summary published in sixlanguages (Arabic, English, French, Japanese,Russian, Spanish).

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Partner organizations informs

response. UNDP has embarked in a globalanalysis of local level risk managementinitiatives in Asia and the Pacific, LatinAmerica and the Caribbean, with a view toextracting lessons-learnt and good practices tobetter focus its future disaster reductionprogramming with local level interventions.The results of UNDP-sponsored initiatives inBolivia, Colombia, Jamaica and Nicaragua(LAC) and Nepal, India and Sri Lanka inAsia were analysed. As UNDP recognisesthat other partners have much moreexperience in this field, the analysis willexpand to selected initiatives from othersponsors such as ADPC, WHO/PAHO,IFRC and other NGO's. Similarly to the ILSreview mentioned above, lessons-learnt andgood practices will feed into UNDP'slearning process to make its interventionsmore effective, and will provide inputs on thissphere of disaster reduction programming tothe WCDR.

World Meteorological Organization(WMO)WMO is actively working with MemberStates to support the National Meteorologicaland Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in thepreparations for the WCDR. The thrust ofthe support is on the how to further develop aculture of prevention by shifting moreinvestments from post-disaster recovery to riskmanagement and prevention. Furthermoreefforts are made towards strengthening thecollaboration of NMHSs with the nationalbodies responsible for disaster reductioncoordination. It is expected that these activitieswill contribute towards the attainment ofWMO's target at reducing by 50 per cent theassociated ten-year average fatality from the

period 1995-2004 to the period 2010-2019 fornatural disasters of meteorological,hydrological and climatic origin.

United Nations Food andAgriculture Organization (FAO)The increasing awareness of the links betweendisasters, poverty, development andsustainability led FAO to establish its"emergency operations and rehabilitationdivision" in 2002. Its aim is to enhance ruralpeople's resilience and ability to recover fromhuman and natural disasters. The currentmedium-term plan (2002-2007) alsoestablished a "priority area ofinterdepartmental action" group to work ondisaster prevention, mitigation andpreparedness and post-emergency relief andrehabilitation. FAO also continues to promotethe explicit consideration of environmentalissues in the development, management anduse of food insecurity and vulnerabilityinformation systems to guide developmentpolicy and programmes.

2 Risk assessment, monitoring and earlywarning

WMOThe WMO Executive Council at its annualmeeting in June 2004 adopted acomprehensive implementation plan to attainthe objectives under the WMO programmeon natural disaster prevention and mitigation.Through a 10-year international globalatmospheric research programme(THORPEX), WMO aims at improving 1to 14 days forecasts of high impact weather

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Vand support decision making for weatherrelated natural hazards. Ultimately, suchefforts will enhance the capacity of society torealize societal and economic benefits ofimproved weather forecasts and better connectproviders of weather forecasts and warningswith users and decision makers.

WMO is also developing a climate alertsystem to assist Member States make use ofseasonal and inter-annual forecasts in theirdisaster risk reduction activities. WMOcarries out several initiatives to improve floodforecasting and implement risk managementpractices to mitigate social, economic andenvironmental losses resulting from floodingincluding aspects of climate variability andchange. It is also working with the ISDRsecretariat on the risk management chapter ofthe second edition of the World WaterDevelopment Report.

FAOAltogether, about forty countries worldwidehave established national and regional earlywarning systems for food security with FAOassistance: currently FAO provides support toAfghanistan, Angola, Eritrea, Kenya, Malawi,Mozambique, Somalia, Zambia and CentralAmerica.

South Pacific Applied GeoscienceCommission (SOPAC)SOPAC's initiative to develop anenvironmental vulnerability index (EVI) incollaboration with UNEP is well underway.Once operational at the end of 2004, the EVIwill provide a unique tool to monitor changesof environmental vulnerability over time and

measure ability to manage it. It will givepolicy and decision-makers specific directionson how to reduce environmental vulnerabilityto hazards and build resilience towardssustainability.

Intergovernmental OceanographicCommission - United NationsEducational, Scientific and CulturalOrganization (IOC- UNESCO)The International Coordination Group for theTsunami Warning System in the Pacific(ICG/ITSU) of IOC-UNESCO continuedits support to the International TsunamiInformation Center (ITIC), Honolulu,Hawaii. It decided to establish aninternational component for its trainingprogramme (ITP-International) for in-country assistance to Member States and a"Pool of Experts" to assist Member Stateswith expert missions; it recommended formalcollaborative links with the Circum-PacificCouncil and close(r) collaboration withGLOSS, ISDR and CEPREDENAC.

Space technologyDisaster reduction has proved to be a keyconsideration in the development of variousintegrated space-based disaster managementsystems. Partnerships to promote anddisseminate space and telecommunications-based applications for disaster prevention aimat making vulnerable communities indeveloping countries benefit from availablelow-cost, high-impact solutions. In particular,the recognition of the importance to focus onlocal community needs in prevention ratherthan emergency response represents a majorbreakthrough.

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Space-related activities involve policycoordination and partnerships with the UnitedNations Office for Outer Space Affairs(UN/OOSA), the Committee on the PeacefulUse of Outer Space (COPUOS), ActionTeam on Disaster Management(UNISPACE-III), OCHA, the EuropeanSpace Agency (ESA) and its GlobalMonitoring of Environment Security(GMES), other space agencies and the ad hocGroup on Earth Observation. Among others,the United Nations Office for ProjectServices (UNOPS), the United NationsInstitute for Training and Research(UNITAR) and the European Center forNuclear Research (CERN) throughUNOSAT are dedicated to the search ofconcrete solutions by translating spacetechnologies into maps and products fordisaster management and risk reduction..

In April 2004 the Earth Observation SummitII (in Tokyo, Japan) adopted a framework fora 10-year implementation plan (2005-2015) toachieve comprehensive, coordinated, andsustained earth observations for the benefit ofhumankind. During the summit a GlobalEarth Observation System of Systems(GEOSS) was launched with the support ofthe US government to address shortcomingsof current observation systems. Of directrelevance to the implementation of the ISDRare the foreseen benefits in reducing loss oflife and property from natural and human-induced disasters; understanding, assessing,predicting, mitigating, and adapting to climatevariability and change; and weatherinformation, forecasting, and warning. Theframework also recognised achievements madeby existing programmes, including the betterunderstanding of natural hazard through a

range of international observing and earlywarning systems consistent with the ISDR.Membership is open to all interestedgovernments and the European Commission,and to representatives of relevant internationalorganizations taking part, of which the ISDRsecretariat is a member. The components ofthe plan will be duly taken into account in theWCDR programmatic outcome.

Global Wildland Fire NetworkThe Global Fire Monitoring Centre(GFMC) has consolidated and enhanced itscapabilities as a global information provider(global fire monitoring portal) and itsinternational liaison function in supporting ofthe development of informed policies atnational, regional and international levels.Following the joint UN inter-agencyAdvanced Wildland Fire ManagementTraining Course and Consultation in Sub-Sahara Africa (June 2004), which involved theUnited Nations University Institute forEnvironment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), a permanent partnership between withUNU will be developed by end of 2004,aimed at creating high-level capacity buildingfor fire management and internationalcooperation in wildland fire management.

The network evolved during the lifetime ofthe former Working Group on Wildland Fireand consists of recently established or existingRegional Wildland Fire Networks. TheGlobal Wildland Fire Network is a follow-upprogramme under the auspices of the ISDR,aimed at promoting bilateral and multilateralcooperation in wildland fire management,including sharing of fire managementresources, within and between regions. Main

43

Vfinancial support for the network is providedby the German Foreign Office.

Regional consultations have been held in theNortheast Asia Region (March 2004), theBalkans, Eastern Mediterranean, Near Eastand Central Asian Region (April 2004), theBaltic Region (May 2004), Sub-Sahara Africa(June 2004), South America (June 2004),Central America and Caribbean (October2004) and for the Western Hemisphere /Americas (October 2004) have consolidatedthe formation of and/or the dialogue between12 Regional Wildland Fire Networks andresulted in recommendations, workprogrammes and declarations aimed atsupporting consensus for the WCDR and thehigh-level FAO meeting.

Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre(ADPC)The Asian Disaster Preparedness Centerlaunched new initiatives on Climate Forecastapplications and Urban Disaster Mitigation inSouth and South East Asia, a new programon Capacity building for Flood Preparednessplanning in the Mekong Delta and a studyon Environmental Degradation and Disasterrisk.

Asian Disaster Reduction Centre(ADRC)In the context of the IATF WG3, ADRC hasled the further development of GLIDE(GLobal unique disaster IDEntifier number).The GLIDE automatic generator has beendeveloped by ADRC and ReliefWeb, withtechnical assistance by LaRED and started itsfunction in May 2004 for enhanced disaster

information sharing. It is being sought tofurther promote the use of GLIDE numbers, inparticular at the national level.

3 Knowledge management and education

United Nations Disaster ManagementTraining Programme (UN-DMTP)The inter-agency programme continues itstraining aimed at strengthening UN countryteams' capacity to provide effective coordinationduring crisis events and establish disasterpreparedness plans. The programme'sadministrators, namely UNDP and OCHA, arein the process of undertaking a review in July-November 2004 to assess its strategic focus,purpose and added value. The review will alsoassess the UN-DMTP's premise and objectivesfrom a historical perspective and in light ofpresent trends and future challenges anddemands made on UN field offices with regardto their functions, roles, competencies andperformance expectations in addressing disasterevents, disaster risks and their reduction. Theoutcome of the review will be to identify one ortwo possible future scenarios for UN-DMTPand define action steps for its reconfiguration.The ISDR secretariat is collaborating with UN-DMTP on workshops in selected countries topromote the establishment of national platformsfor disaster reduction, and has also participatedin the review of the programme, for closersynergy and cooperation in the future

Global Fire Monitoring Center(GFMC)Following the joint UN inter-agency advancedwildland fire management training course andconsultation in sub-Sahara Africa (June 2004),

44


which involved the United Nations UniversityInstitute for Environment and HumanSecurity (UNU-EHS), a permanentpartnership between GFMC and UNU willbe developed by end of 2004, creating high-level capacity building for fire managementand international cooperation in wildland firemanagement.

United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO)At its thirty-second session, the GeneralConference of UNESCO approved a newMain Line of Action in its programme andbudget for 2004-2005 entitled "Enhancingdisaster prevention and preparedness". Thismain line of action is designed to encourageMember States to address the issue of naturalhazards with an intra- and intersectoralapproach. Under the programmme, theeffective use of advances in scientificknowledge and know-how to underpinpreventive action and encourage disasterpreparedness is being promoted. Thepromotion of wise disaster reduction practicesis encouraged with particular attention to poorvulnerable zones in least developed countriesand in some megacities, small islands andcoastal zones. Efforts focus on capacity-building mechanisms aimed at sensitizing andeducating decision-makers and municipalauthorities in specific disaster mitigationstrategies. Support is given to the elaboration,dissemination and testing of information andtraining materials and tools on disasterprevention bearing in mind the specificrequirements of the poor, urban dwellers andrural area.

FAOFAO has developed an international portal onfood security to provide information to fieldpractitioners and policy analysts. Themultilingual Food Security and ComplexEmergencies information portal focuses onvarious aspects of emergencies, endeavouringto ensure effective communication betweenrisk assessors and risk managers in the area offood safety.

ADRCADRC is actively promoting the concept ofTotal Disaster Reduction Management(TDRM) together with UN, OCHA,ADPC and others. ADRC hosted severalworkshops to discsuss the implications ofTDRM with member countries. Oneconcrete spin-off has been that theDepartment of Disaster Prevention andMitigation, Ministry of Interior,Thailand, hastranslated TDRM materials have beentranslated into Thai.

ADRC have developed cooperative projectswith member countries (e.g. Philippines,Mongolia and Viet Nam) to strengthencapacity and partnership, including: • Training in the Philippines strengthened

capacity in supply management and logisticsin humanitarian assistance.

• Seminar in Mongolia stressed the need toenhance earthquake disaster managementcapacity in the country.

• Seminar on flood management held in VietNam focused on the need to urgentlyintroduce a comprehensive approach todisaster reduction, stressing the preventiveand proactive action, rather than responsiveaction.

45

V4 Reduction of underlying risk factors -application

The PacificThe Pacific region is engaged in a number ofsectoral projects to develop capacity to reduceunderlying risk factors. Among them (i) theSouth Pacific Sea Level and ClimateMonitoring Project (SOPAC, South PacificRegional Environment Programme, PFS,AusAID) addressing inter alia impacts of ElNiño/La Niña events, (ii) CatastropheInsurance in the Pacific (SOPAC, WorldBank, AusAID) to highlight the work thatneeds to be done in each country as aprerequisite to developing a regionalcatastrophe insurance scheme in a regionwhere insurance cover is sparse, (iii) PacificHIV/AIDS Programme (Secretariat of thePacific Community, World HealthOrganization, Joint United NationsProgramme on HIV/AIDS) to improveawareness of the potential damage that can becaused by HIV/AIDS, the way it istransmitted and the methods of reducing risk,and (iv) project to reduce the vulnerability ofPacific ACP States (SOPAC and EuropeanUnion) looking at hazard mitigation and riskassessment; the availability of aggregates forimproved construction; and safeguarding andimproving water resources and sanitationsystems.

United Nations Centre for RegionalDevelopment (UNCRD)Community empowerment and sustainabledevelopment are essential for effective disastermitigation. To achieve safety and sustainabilityof livelihood for effective disaster mitigation,UNCRD is carrying out a project

"Sustainability in Community-Based DisasterManagement" in 2002- 2005. The expectedoutputs of the project include the provision ofbest practices for community based disastermanagement, recommendations and strategicframework through policy interventions atlocal level to sustain community initiatives,dissemination of guidelines and tools throughpartnership-building. The results and localexperiences of the project will be presented atthe WCDR.

FAOThe FAO programme on the role of locallevel institutions in reducing vulnerability tonatural disasters gathers experience and fieldbased evidence to provide guidance to policymakers on linking disaster prevention andresponse activities and long-term sustainablerural development strategies. Based, amongothers, on projects in China and Mongolia, aninter-regional comparative study was done onthe role of local institutions in reducingvulnerability to natural disasters.

UNEPOne of the focus areas of UNEP's work onenvironmental emergencies is disasterreduction, which involves the implementationof activities to raise awareness and strengthencapacities of Governments to develop policies,legislation and programmes for reducingdisasters - particularly those that haveprofound consequences on the environment.

A number of joint UNEP and UN/ISDRactivities have been undertaken to promoteregional perspectives of disaster riskreduction. In June 2004 UNEP participated

46


in the African regional consultation on disasterreduction, presenting the importance ofenvironmental protection and its linkages withsustainable development, poverty alleviationand disaster reduction. Throughout 2004UNEP has developed profiles of institutionsworking on disaster and environmental riskreduction in Africa, which are intended toenhance information exchange and promotecoordination of disaster risk management inthe region. An additional tool for informationdissemination and public awareness is thenewsletter "Environmental Emergency News".

UNEP, UN/ISDR and the IGAD ClimatePrediction and Application Centre produced ajoint publication on environmental and floodsmanagement, specifically targeting schoolchildren.

UNEP and OCHA are currently engaged ina joint partnership on environmentalemergencies within the framework of theJohannesburg Plan of Implementation,harmonising disaster reporting andnotification procedures between internationalorganizations. A website for sharinginformation on global prevention,preparedness and response to disasters waslaunched, and

5. Preparedness for effective response

World Health Organization (WHO)WHO has made progress in mainstreamingdisaster management over the past few years,gaining experience in supporting countriesdealing with complex and naturalemergencies. In line with the global WHOcountry focus initiative, WHO promotes

disaster reduction by providing policy, systemsand technical support to countries at risk andby promoting competence building at theregional and country levels by:

• gathering information and outliningstrategic directions;

• building up networks and working withinternational partners;

• strengthening national capacity; and• securing in-house capacity to meet new

challenges.

In the context of the Latin American meetingon Vulnerability Reduction in Health:Hospitals and Drinking Water Systems(Managua, Nicaragua, April 2004),representatives and experts from 18 countriesprepared an action plan to reduce vulnerabilityin health facilities and water systems over thenext 10 years. At a parallel meeting ondrinking water facilities, participantsconcluded that both the knowledge andtechnology exist to enable disaster-strickendeveloping countries to make drinking wateravailable to the affected population. Nottaking risk management into account duringthe planning and development of waterservices jeopardises the safety of these systemsand will make it difficult to achieve theMillennium Development Goal that seeks to"Halve by 2015 the proportion of peoplewithout sustainable access to safe drinkingwater and basic sanitation".

During the Caribbean meeting on Mitigationin Health Facilities (Port of Spain, May2004), representatives and experts from 11Carribbean countries as well as from ACS,CDERA, OFDA, UN/ISDR andPAHO/WHO were present. The meeting

47

Videntified a key issue of hospitalityvulnerability reduction as a national indicatorof risk reduction.

One of the focuses of the WHO regionaloffice for Africa is to build capacity andensure self-reliance of Member States toprepare for, respond to and mitigate healthconsequences of disasters. It also addressesrehabilitation and adequate intervention inemergency situation. Its interventions atnational level address policy frameworks and

strategy development, technical support andassistance and resource mobilization,strengthening of the multi-sectoral andmultidisciplinary approaches

WHO's challenge is to clearly incorporatedisaster mitigation into decision-making levelsoutside the health sector in order thatcountries may develop a national riskreduction policy.

48

The way forward and continuing challengesVIThe World Conference on DisasterReduction has generated an enormousamount of activity and interest around theworld for the subject of disaster reduction.As stated at the ninth session of the TaskForce in May 2004: the Conference willbe the opportunity and milestone to getrenewed attention and commitment fromGovernments, international, regional andnon-governmental organizations, inparticular financial institutions to promotethe integration of risk reduction in theirinvestments. It is the opportunity to makea quantum leap in providing for moreexplicit policies to integrate risk reductioninto the Millennium Development Goalsat their upcoming assesment in 2005.

A challenge to address before, during and,in particular, after the WCDR, is of courseto identify the institutional, technical andfinancial resources required to effectivelyimplement the priorities agreed upon. Thisincludes a clearer and more substantivecapacity within the UN to assistGovernments and communities in thisarea. It also challenges current donor andfinancial policies, where risk reductionoften falls in between humanitarian anddevelopment portfolios.

As part of this strategy, USG Jan Egeland,on behalf of OCHA and ISDR, andUNDP Administrator, Mark Malloch-Brown, have jointly taken the initiative fora UN system-wide study to enhance theUN capacities for disaster riskmanagement and provide effective supportto the implementation of WCDR'sprogramme outcome. The study isexpected to be ready by December 2004.

This study is considered part of a longer processto:

• determine the relevance and effectiveness ofsupport provided by the UN system todisaster risk management efforts of local,national and regional institutions;

• identify gaps and overlaps across the UNsystem that affect potential synergies, andreduce its overall effectiveness in the area ofdisaster risk management;

• make recommendations that will assist theUN system to strengthen its capacity andeffectiveness to support disaster-pronecountries for the future

The ISDR secretariat is playing a facilitatingrole for the study and works closely withUNDP and OCHA.

Meanwhile, the priorities for the ISDRsecretariat for the next six months, remaindirectly or indirectly related to the preparation,holding and follow-up to the World Conferenceon Disaster Reduction, and they include:

• To ensure a well attended, substantive andsuccessful WCDR, with high impact onpublic awareness with substantial exposure inthe media and within participating countrieson the benefits of reducing risk to natural andrelated hazards;

• To facilitate and service Member States inpreparing for a substantive and feasibleProgramme of action for disaster riskreduction 2005-2015 that facilitates theimplementation of the Johannesburgobjectives for sustainable development and theMillennium Development Goals;

• To ensure that the Thematic Segment of theConference provides for full ownership of

Definition ofdisaster (risk)

reduction

The conceptualframework of

elementsconsidered

with thepossibilities to

minimizevulnerabilities

and disasterrisks

throughout asociety, to

avoid(prevention)

or to limit(mitigation

andpreparedness)

the adverseimpacts ofhazards,

within thebroad contextof sustainabledevelopment.

49

UN agencies and international and regionalstakeholders, as well as a Public Forum thatprovides for opportunities to shareexperiences among a wider range ofstakeholders and civil society in disaster riskreduction;

• To ensure that the follow-up to the WCDRcounts on full support from the IATF/DRand the ISDR secretariat (to be discussed atthe tenth and eleventh sessions of theIATF/DR, to be held 7-8 October andApril/May 2005, respectively);

• To increase funding opportunities for boththe ISDR mechanisms as well as for disasterrisk reduction activities at local, national andregional scales, as part of the abovementioned programme of action;

• To prepare for an independent evaluation ofthe ISDR mechanisms following theWCDR (planned for March-June 2005).

The current mandate and strategic frameworkfor the ISDR secretariat remain valid in 2005,possibly with some adjustments after theWCDR. Any further change stemming fromWCDR would be implemented gradually inthe coming years. The challenge of increasingthe inter-agency collaboration and synergy tofacilitate and support the implementation ofthe programme of action and partnershipsexpected from the WCDR will remain highon the ISDR agenda. This will require astrengthened donor relations and resourcemobilisation capacity as well as an improvedclearinghouse system for information sharingand monitoring disaster risk reductionpractice, including the development of aninter-agency Prevention Website capacity.

50

ACDS African Centre for Disaster StudiesADPC Asian Disaster Preparedness CenterADRC Asian Disaster Reduction CentreACS Association of Caribbean StatesAfDB African Development Bank AMARC World Association of Community Radio BroadcastersAU-NEPAD African Union - New Partnership for Africa's DevelopmentCADME Coastal Area Disaster Mitigation Efforts, Andhra Pradesh, IndiaCCT City of Cape TownCDERA Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response AgencyCEPREDENAC Centro de Coordinación para la Prevención de Desastres Naturales en America Central

(Coordinating Centre for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America)CERG Centre d'Etudes des Risques GéologiquesCONRED Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de DesastresCRED Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of DisastersCSD-11 11th meeting of the Commission on Sustainable DevelopmentDFID Department for International Development, UKDMCN Drought Monitoring Centre, ECHO European Community Humanitarian OfficeECOWAS Economic Community of West African StatesEM-DAT Emergency Events Database (CRED)ESA European Space AgencyESCAP Economic and Social Commission of Asian and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand, United

NationsEU European UnionEWC-II Second International Conference on Early WarningFUNDAPRIS Fundación para la Prevención del Riesgo Sísmico, Merida, VenezuelaGEF Global Environmental FacilityGEO Global Earth ObservatoryGMES Global Monitoring for the Environment and SecurityGTZ German Technical CooperationHIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficieny Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeIATF/DR Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster ReductionIATF-7 Seventh meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster ReductionICLEI International Council for Local Environmental InitiativesIFRC International Federation of the Red Cross and Red CrescentISDR International Strategy for Disaster ReductionIOC Intergovernmental Oceanographic CommissionMSF Médecins sans FrontièresNEPAD New Partnership for Africa's DevelopmentOAS Organization of American StatesOCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsOCHA/CAP Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs/Consolidated Appeal ProgrammeOFDA Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance, USA

List of acronyms

AfDB African Development Bank

51

OOSA Office for Outer Space Affairs, United NationsPAHO Pan American Health OrganizationPIC Pacific Islands CentreRADIUS Risk Assessment Tools for Diagnosis of Urban Areas SDC Swiss Agency for Development and CooperationSOPAC South Pacific Applied Geoscience CommissionUN/COPUOS United Nations/Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer SpaceUNCRD United Nations Centre for Regional DevelopmentUN/DESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social DevelopmentUNDP United Nations Development ProgrammeUNDP/BCPR United Nations Development Programme/Bureau of Crisis Prevention and RecoveryUNEP United Nations Environment ProgrammeUNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUNFCCC United Nations Framework on Climate ChangeUN/HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements ProgrammeUNICEF United Nations Children's FundUNIFEM United Nations Fund for WomenUNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and ResearchUN/ISDR Inter-Agency Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster ReductionUN/ISDR Africa Inter-Agency Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction for Africa

(Nairobi, Keynia)UN/ISDR LAC Inter-Agency Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction for Latin

America and the Caribbean (San Jose, Costa Rica)UNOPS United Nations Operations and Projects ServicesUS/NOAA United States/National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationVARG Vulnerability and Adaptation Resources GroupWHO World Health OrganizationWMO World Meteorological OrganizationWSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development

52

Annex 1 Policy framework to guide and monitor disaster risk reduction

Thematic area 1: POLITICAL COMMITMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT (GOVERNANCE)Governance is increasingly becoming a key area for the success of sustained reduction of risks. Defined in terms ofpolitical commitment and strong institutions, good governance is expected to elevate disaster risk reduction as a policypriority, allocate the necessary resources for it, enforce its implementation and assign accountability for failures, as wellas facilitate participation from civil society private sector.

Thematic areas/Components

Characteristics Criteria for benchmarks(very tentative)

Policy and planning • Risk reduction as a policy priority• Risk reduction incorporated into post-

disaster reconstruction • Integration of risk reduction in development

planning and sectoral policies (povertyeradication, social protection, sustainabledevelopment, climate change adaptation,desertification, natural resourcemanagement, health, education, etc)

• National risk reduction strategy and plan• Disaster reduction in poverty reduction

strategy papers, in national MillenniumDevelopment Goals reports

• Disaster reduction in National AdaptationPlan of Action (for LDCs) on climate change

• National follow up on WSSD Plan ofImplementation

Legal and regulatoryframework

• Laws, acts and regulations• Codes, standards• Compliance and enforcement• Responsibility and accountability

• Requirement of compliance by law·• Existence and update of codes and standards• Existence of systems to ensure compliance

and enforcement

Resources • Resource mobilization and allocation:financial (innovative and alternative funding,taxes, incentives), human, technical,material, sectoral

• Evidence of budgetary allocation • Staffing allocation• Public-private partnerships

Organizationalstructures

• Implementing and coordinating bodies • Intra and inter-ministerial, multidisciplinary

and multisectoral mechanisms• Local institutions for decentralized

implementation• Civil society, NGOs, private sector and

community participation

• Existence of an administrative structureresponsible for disaster reduction

• Sectoral programmes in line ministries• Consultation with and role for civil society,

NGOs, private sector and the communities.• Existence of "watchdog" groups

Thematic area 2: RISK IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENTIdentification of risks is a relatively well-defined area with a significant knowledge base on methods for disaster impactand risk assessment. Systematic assessment of losses, particularly the social and economic impact of disasters, andmapping of risks are fundamental to understand where to take action. Pre-investment appraisals of disaster risk todevelopment and vice versa, consideration of disaster risks in environmental impact assessments is still to becomeroutine practice. Early warning is increasingly defined as a means to inform public and authorities on impending risks,hence essential for timely inputs to reduce their impact.



Risk assessmentand data quality

• Hazard analysis: characteristics, impacts,historical and spatial distribution, multi-hazard assessments, hazard monitoringincluding of emerging hazards

• Vulnerability and capacity assessment:social, economic, physical andenvironmental, political, cultural factors

• Risk monitoring capabilities, risk maps, riskscenarios

• Hazards recorded and mapped·Vulnerability and capacity indicators developedand systematically mapped and recorded

• Risk scenarios developed and used• Systematic assessment of disaster risks in

development programming

Early warningsystems

• Monitoring and forecasting• Risk scenarios• Warning and dissemination• Response to warning

Effective early warning systems that include:• Quality of forecasts• Dissemination channels and participation at

local level• Effectiveness of response to warnings

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Thematic area 3: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENTInformation management and communication, education and training, public awareness and research are all parts ofimproving and managing knowledge on disaster risks and their reduction. Inclusion of disaster reduction with a stronggender balanced approach at all level of education, effective public awareness and information campaigns, mediainvolvement in advocacy and dissemination, availability of training for the communities at risk and professional staff,targeted research are the ingredients to support the knowledge base for effective disaster reduction.



Informationmanagement andcommunication

• Information and dissemination programmesand channels

• Public and private information systems(including disaster, hazard and riskdatabases & websites)

• Networks for disaster risk management(scientific, technical and applied information,traditional/local knowledge)

• Documentation and databases on disasters·• Professionals and public networks• Dissemination and use of traditional/local

knowledge and practice• Resource centres and networks, in particular

educational facilities

Education andtraining

• Inclusion of disaster reduction at all levels ofeducation (curricula, educational material),training of trainers programmes

• Vocational training • Dissemination and use of traditional/local

knowledge·• Community training programmes

• Educational material and references ondisasters and disaster reduction

• Specialised courses and institutions • Trained staff• Evidence of systematic capacity

development programmes

Public awareness • Public awareness policy, programmes andmaterials

• Media involvement in communicating riskand awareness raising

• Coverage of disaster reduction relatedactivities by media

• Public aware and informed• Visibility of disaster reduction day

Research • Research programmes and institutions forrisk reduction

• Evaluations and feedback • National, regional and international

cooperation in research, science andtechnology development

• Existence of a link between science andpolicy (evidence-based policy and policy-oriented research)

• Indicators, standards and methodologiesestablished for risk identification

• Regional and international exchange andnetworking

Thematic area 4: RISK MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS & INSTRUMENTSInstruments for risk management have proliferated especially with the recognition of environmental management, povertyreduction and financial management tools as complementary solutions. The role of environmental and natural resourcemanagement in reducing climatic disaster risks is acknowledged. Wetland and watershed management to reduce floodrisks, deforestation to control landslides, ecosystem conservation to control droughts are among the best knownapplications. For effective results, synergies need to be built between sustainable development and disaster riskmanagement practices. Social and economic development practices with proven results in poverty alleviation such associal protection and safety nets are increasingly regarded as ways of reducing risks and instruments for self-reliance inrecovery. Financial instruments in the form of micro-financing and public-private partnerships can be of great help. Otherssuch as insurance, calamity funds, catastrophe bonds are useful in spreading risks though still difficult to establish in low-income countries. Physical and technical measures such as flood control techniques, soil conservation practices,retrofitting of buildings or land use planning are well known practices and have been implemented with mixed results. Theirfailure is often due to poor governance rather than knowledge of what to do. Moreover, such measures, while effective inhazard control, can often be inadequate for social protection and economic recovery.



Environmental andnatural resourcemanagement

• Interface between environmentalmanagement and risk reduction practices, inparticular in coastal zone, wetland andwatershed management, integrated waterresource management; reforestation,agricultural practices, ecosystemconservation

• Use of wetland and forestry management toreduce flood and landslide risk

• Trends in deforestation and desertificationrate

• Use of environmental impact assessments indisaster reduction planning

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Social and economicdevelopmentpractices

• Social protection and safety nets • Financial instruments (involvement of

financial sector in disaster reduction:insurance/reinsurance, risk spreadinginstruments for public infrastructure andprivate assets such as calamity funds andcatastrophe bonds, micro-credit and finance,revolving community funds, social funds)

• Sustainable livelihood strategies

• Access to social protection and safety netsas well as micro-finance services for disasterrisk reduction

• Use of safety nets and social protectionprogrammes in recovery process·Insurance take up

• Public-private partnerships for micro-financing and insurance at community level

Physical andtechnical measures

• Land use applications, urban and regionaldevelopment schemes

• Structural interventions (hazard resistantconstruction and infrastructure, retrofitting ofexisting structures, drought, flood andlandslide control techniques)

• Soil conservation and hazard resistantagricultural practices

• Construction reduced/zoning plans enforcedin floodplains and other mapped hazard-prone areas

• Compliance of public and private buildingswith codes and standards.

• Public buildings (health facilities, schools,lifelines, etc) at high risk retrofitted

• Regular maintenance of hazard controlstructures

Thematic area 5: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, CONTINGENCY PLANNING AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTPreparedness and emergency management have been effective instruments in reducing life losses from direct andindirect effect of disasters. A well-prepared system is expected to be effectively informed by early warning, have in placenational and local preparedness plans regularly rehearsed establish communication and coordination systems, as wellas adequate logistics infrastructure and emergency fund to respond from. Local level preparedness, particularly of thecommunities, including their training deserves special attention as the most effective way of reducing life and livelihoodlosses.



Preparedness andcontingency planning

• Contingency plans (logistics, infrastructure)·National and local preparedness plans

• Effective communication and coordinationsystem

• Rehearsal and practice of plans

• Testing and updating of emergency responsenetworks and plans (national/local,private/public)

• Coverage of community training andcommunity based preparedness

• Emergency funds and stocks

Emergencymanagement

• Civil protection and defence organizationsand volunteer networks

• Effective response to disasters andmobilization of volunteers, including NGOs, inparticular Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies

Annex 2ISDR secretariat financial overview - contributions and pledges

UN/ISDR 2004-2005 estimated requirements

2004-2005 financial requirements 12,511,000 1 4,706,7542004-2005 income/written pledges 5,713,129 1,710,6512004-2005 outstanding requirements 6,797,871 2,996,103

DONORS

ReceivedWritten Pledges


Canada 187,973.47Cyprus 7,140.00Germany 969,649.49 2

Ireland 52,586.21Japan 317,492.00 1,118,117.88Norway 298,173.69 3 97,638.78Philippines 1,618.83South Africa 7,414.06Sweden 584,385.58 4 607,287.45 4 *Switzerland 375,625.00 5 242,307.69United Kingdom 1,398,694.17 714,285.71United States 200,000.00 200,000.00UNDP 40,000.00WMO 3,390.00

Sub-total 4,391,556.29 0.00 0.00 1,321,573.16 1,458,064.35 252,586.21

TOTAL

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS:Government of Japan: one Associate Expert - JPO (Jan 2004) part-time, shared with WMOGovernment of Norway: two Associate Experts - JPO for Central Asia and AfricaNippon Foundation: funding for the Sasakawa Award for Disaster ReductionIn-kind contribution from the Government of Switzerland in support of ISDR organizational developmentIn-kind contribution for preparatory mission (WCDR) to Japan in January 2004 (US$ 40,000)In-kind contribution from Canada for the translation of Living with Risk into Spanish (through Fundacrid)In-kind contribution from UNDP - Senior Programme Officer

* Sweden has made a commitment of SEK 2,000,000.

2/ In support of the regional outreach programme of the ISDR in Africa and of the Early Warning Platform.3/ In support of project: Africa, Central Asia and Advocacy.4/ In support of the regional outeach programme of the ISDR in Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia.5/ In support of project: "Living with Floods".

Contributions are subject to UN Operational Exchange rates at the time of receipt.

1/ As per document "An open opportunity to reduce disaster impacts", December 2003.

Year 2005

1,321,573.16

Secretariat of the ISDRTrust Fund for Disaster Reduction

Contributions/Pledges (in USD) as at 4 October 2004Biennium 2004-2005

WCDR estimated requirements

WCDR

4,391,556.29

Year 2004


1,710,650.56

UN/ISDR

CONTRIBUTIONS/WRITTEN PLEDGES to the Trust fund for Disaster Reduction (in USD) as at 4 October 2004

Donor 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2004 2005 TOTALWCDR

ANEM 1/ (France) 10,093 10,093 ANEM 1/ (France)Austria 12,942 14,251 ** 27,193 AustriaCanada 99,714 187,973 287,687 CanadaCyprus 8,369 7,140 15,509 CyprusDenmark 254,511 254,511 DenmarkEuropean Commission ** - European CommissionFinland 60,784 191,834 ** 252,618 FinlandGermany 228,260 543,976 854,249 969,649 2,596,134 GermanyIceland 5,000 5,000 IcelandIreland 52,586 52,586 IrelandItaly 242,483 148,662 117,371 ** 508,516 ItalyJapan 300,000 234,155 300,000 317,492 1,118,118 2,269,765 JapanNorway 252,966 274,360 298,174 97,639 923,138 NorwayPhilippines 7,624 4,450 1,619 13,693 PhilippinesSouth Africa 15,006 7,414 22,420 South AfricaSpain ** - SpainSweden 896,683 377,749 526,286 584,386 *** 607,287 2,992,391 SwedenSwitzerland 97,956 161,180 616,696 697,446 375,625 242,308 2,191,210 SwitzerlandUNDP 40,000 40,000 UNDPUNEP 13,000 2,000 15,000 30,000 UNEPUnited Kingdom 125,000 1,428,571 1,191,693 1,398,694 714,286 4,858,245 United Kingdom United States 200,000 200,000 400,000 United StatesWMO 19,017 3,390 22,407 WMO

TOTAL 2,052,901 948,514 3,735,342 3,612,579 4,391,556 1,710,651 1,321,573 17,773,116 1/ Association Nationale des Elus des Montagnes (ANEM)

Other Contributions:* L'Agence Intergouvernementale de la Francophonie: one Associate Expert - JPO (2001-2003)* World Meteorological Organization: Senior Expert Secondee for a year (2002-Feb 2003); office space for the UN/ISDR

in-kind contribution for preparatory mission to Japan in January 2004 (US$ 40,000)* Government of Norway: Two Associate Experts - JPO for Central Asia and Africa* International Research Institute for Climate Prediction (IRI), Columbia University: Senior Expert seconded in 2003* World Bank: through UNOPS: US$ 20,000 in 2002 and US$ 24,860 in 2003 for Living with Risk report and Information system* Nippon Foundation: funding for the annual Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction* In-kind contribution from the Government of Switzerland in support of ISDR organizational development* In-kind contribution from UNDP, one Senior Programme Officer

** Discussions are on the way for specific additional contributions*** Sweden has made a commitment of SEK 2,000,000

* Government of Japan: one Associate Expert - JPO (2003-2004) part-time, shared with WMO;

United Nations Inter-Agency Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR)Palais des NationsCH 1211 Geneva 10, SwitzerlandTel: +41 22 9172529/762/759Fax: +41 22 917 [email protected]

UN/ISDR Latin America and the CaribbeanP.O. Box 3745-1000 San José, Costa RicaTel: +506 224 1186Fax: +506 224 [email protected]

UN/ISDR AfricaBlock U Room 217 UNEP, GigiriNairobi, KenyaTel: +254 20 624119 Fax: +254 20 [email protected]

UN/ISDR BonnPlatform for the Promotion of Early WarningGörresstrasse 30D-53113 BonnGermanyTel: +49 228 249 88 10 Fax: +49 228 249 88 [email protected]

ISDR MissionThe ISDR aims at building disaster resilient communities by promoting increased awareness of the importance of disaster reduction as an integral component of sustainable development, with the goal of reducing human, social, economic and environmental losses due to natural hazards and related technological and environmental disasters.

ISDR Secretariat purpose statementThe ISDR Secretariat is a catalyst to advance and facilitate the realisation of the ISDR worldwide, striving to mobilise commitment and resources for its wide implementation and for disaster risk reduction through partnerships at international, regional and national levels.

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