Briefing by the Director of the Secretariat Sálvano Briceño IATF October 2002

Disaster risk reduction is gaining momentum within and outside the UN: recent major disasters- floods in Europe and Asia, drought in Southern Africarecent major disasters- floods in Europe and Asia, drought in Southern Africa increased vulnerability, environmental degradation and threat posed by climate changeincreased vulnerability, environmental degradation and threat posed by climate change outcome of World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)outcome of World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) UN Reform Proposal by the S-G and discussion at Senior Management Group (introduced by Mr. Oshima)UN Reform Proposal by the S-G and discussion at Senior Management Group (introduced by Mr. Oshima)

Since last IATF - six months Major developments, Secretariat consolidation -Office move to Palais des Nations, staff changes -Living with Risk -first phase of global review of disaster reduction -Outcome of WSSD: Plan of implementation and partnerships -New inter-agency agreements (UNDP, OCHA signed… UNEP and ProVention Consortium underway….) -ISDR Support Group and updated workplan

The strategic workplan: builds on the added value of the ISDR Secretariat Provides a common platform, hub in the web of actors, to develop coherence and guidance in the field of disaster risk reduction – bring stakeholders together. International support role, focusing on Coordination (focal point for disaster reduction within UN) Advocacy and awareness raising Information collection and sharing Produce value-added outputs

ISDR Secretariat priorities focus on : Strengthen institutional and political position Resources Build partnerships I Strategic priorities- If we dont do it, we wont exist Ongoing- Must do To-do priorities- We should really… II III Service IATF Awareness activities El Niño and early warning Monitoring, review & assessment Information clearinghouse Regional outreach

I.- Strategic priorities: Strengthen institutional & political support ACHIEVED: WSSD results and new mandate; SG report on UN Reform; side-event in COP-8 Climate Change (next week in New Delhi) PRIORITY: Increase visibility & commitment within and outside the UN Raise the profile of disaster risk reduction within the UN- and beyond, linking to sustainable development, climate change...

I.- Strategic priorities: PRIORITY: target development and environment funding, the European Commission… Strengthen the resource base for disaster reduction in general- and the ISDR Trust Fund Resources ACHIEVED: increased contributions to Trust Fund; ISDR Support group.

I.- Strategic priorities: ACHIEVED: MoUs with UNDP and OCHA; joint initiative with UN-HABITAT to address urban and local authority risk management PRIORITIES: MoUs with UNEP (Africa), ProVention (IFRC & WB), WMO (El Niño- CIIFEN); DESA; UNESCO…; support WSSD Type 2 partnerships Build strong coalition with UNDP & ProVention and gradually others, to influence development Build partnerships

II.- Ongoing work: Support and service the Inter- Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction RECURRENT: meetings twice a year, service and support IATF and working groups, facilitate coordination… PRIORITY: review of the work of the IATF/DR for GA/58 with a view to increase profile and visibility of the Task Force for greater impact in the UN system and beyond

II.- Ongoing work: ACHIEVED: developed childrens game with UNICEF (in LAC); Radio soap-opera on how to prepare for Hurricanes RECURRENT: annual awareness campaigns and International Day for Disaster reduction (Links to Mountains 2002 & Freshwater 2003) annual UN-Sasakawa Award on Disaster Reduction Awareness activities (link more to education)

UN-Sasakawa Award 2003 – on the International Day for Disaster Reduction Awardee: Awardee: Prof. Sergueï Balassanian, Armenia, AASPEI M.S. Rahman, Bangladesh Dist. Prepdnss. Centre Certificates: M.S. Rahman, Bangladesh Dist. Prepdnss. Centre F. Teixeira, Mozambique Red Cross Emergency Monitoring and Forecasting Agency, Russian Federation United Nations Volunteers (UNV) in Guatemala Cruz Vermelha de Timor Leste in East Timor Lt. Colonel Abbu Darwish, Jordan

II.- Ongoing work: PRIORITIES: Launching of the International Research Center on El Niño in Guayaquil Development of EW Programme and support 2nd Intl Early Warning Conf (Germany) Strengthen El Niño & early warning intl cooperation ACHIEVED: with Ecuador and WMO established planning committee and first workplan for CIIFEN

III.- To-do priorities: Consolidate monitoring, review and assessment capacities ACHIEVED: Preliminary version Living with Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiatives. PRIORITIES: Final version early 2003; develop assessment methodology (with UNDP); Ten-year review of Yokohama Plan of Action for a Safer World

III.- To-do priorities : ACHIEVED: Initiated improvement of ISDR contact database, library and web-sites PRIORITY: Lay the ground for an international observatory on disaster reduction, inter-agency in scope Information clearinghouse

Information Clearinghouse for Disaster Reduction (International Observatory on Disaster Reduction) 1 INFORMATION SYSTEM (Phase 1) NETWORKING 2 SPECIALIZED LIBRARY (with UN Library) 3 WEBSITE 4 PUBLICATIONS And NETWORKING

Strengthen regional outreach: in close collaboration with UNDP and OCHA advisors, and other regional partners ACHIEVED: office in Africa (with UNEP & UNDP & support of UNOPS); new partnerships in LAC, with UNICEF for education, & UN- HABITAT & ECLAC for risk reduction methodologies. PRIORITIES: disaster reduction information facility in Africa; increased collaboration with regional initiatives in Asia & Europe (with UNDP, OCHA, EC, ADPC, ADRC, SOPAC & others); strengthen ongoing collaboration in LAC

Financial situation

OUTSTANDING ISSUES TO DISCUSS WITH IATF Follow-up to WSSD Review of implementation of Yokohama Strategy and Plan of action Expected result of this review- a global programme of action including specific recommendations, guidelines and methodologies for disaster risk and vulnerability reduction