The Strategy system should develop collaboration with entities responsible for disaster preparedness and response, including military forces and national rescue services.

C. Follow up action by the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction system

(b) The role of the United Nations system in disaster reduction and response

New developments include partnerships in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to promote disaster risk reduction and to design subregional common policies on disaster risk reduction.

Advocating resource mobilization, establishing tracking and reporting systems, administering the Strategy Trust Fund for Disaster Reduction

The secretariat for the International Decade should use its closing event to focus on the integration of disaster reduction into national planning and to review the specific outcomes accomplished during the Decade.

Particular attention should be given to establishing an international early warning and threat reduction system for natural disasters and for reducing the danger they pose.

The Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction invited entities of the United Nations system to attend the meeting of the Inter Agency Task Force on Disaster Reduction, to be held in Geneva from 24 to 26 May 2005.

(b) Disaster prevention and mitigation

The technical and institutional links between adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction are under increasing discussion.

The United Nations system's role in disaster reduction and response

To maximize the respective strategic advantages of each organization in planning and implementing concrete initiatives for the benefit of Asian communities and countries, the open ended International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Asia Partnership for disaster reduction was established jointly by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre, UNDP, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, ESCAP and the Strategy secretariat.

The secretariat of the Decade had focused on implementing the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action adopted at the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction, which, inter alia, called for a closer linkage between disaster reduction and sustainable development.

The International Flood Network (IFNet), which is chaired by WMO and involves ISDR and ESCAP, is promoting the Global Flood Alert System, a programme for mitigating flood damage.

The IDNDR secretariat recognizes that space technologies, including remote sensing, global positioning and satellite communications systems, offer disaster managers valuable tools that can be used to prepare for, mitigate and, in some cases, prevent the effects of disasters.

In the meantime, an operational monitoring and assessment system on major natural disasters has been set up which is able to carry out real time monitoring on an instant basis in case of major natural disasters of floods, contributing to disaster mitigation and relief and minimization of damages by providing relevant data on disasters.

(a) Promotion of disaster mitigation, early warning and relief.

In the future, global mobile communications systems, such as the many planned low Earth orbit (LEO) systems, will greatly enhance the disaster mitigation efforts of relief organizations.

Emphasizing the responsibility of all States to undertake disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts in order to minimize the impact of disasters,

Mitigation activities .

The main objective of GDOS would be to minimize damage in large scale disasters.

Enabling the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction system to effectively support the implementation of the Hyogo Framework

A detection and monitoring system for tsunamis is necessary but not sufficient to reduce a tsunami disaster.

First, the tsunami disaster illustrated the lack of a systematic disaster management framework, including disaster mitigation measures, in many countries.

4. Prior to the programme of United Nations reform, the natural disaster reduction subprogramme of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat was the responsibility of the Disaster Reduction Division which comprised the operational responsibilities of the Disaster Mitigation Branch, the Disaster Management Training Programme Unit and the specific mandated responsibilities of the secretariat for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.

The Asian Disaster Reduction Centre is a specialized organization for disaster reduction based in Kobe, Japan.

The Subcommittee agreed that work should continue on the establishment of a global system to manage natural disaster mitigation, relief and prevention, as recommended in the Vienna Declaration.

The Subcommittee agreed that work should continue on the establishment of a global system to manage natural disaster mitigation, relief and prevention, as recommended in the Vienna Declaration.

(b) Improving international cooperation in development and implementation of satellite based disaster warning systems and utilization of space technology for mitigation and relief in natural, technological and industrial disaster situations

13. Also welcomes the launch of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, a partnership of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction system managed by the World Bank on behalf of the participating donor partners and other partnering stakeholders, as a significant initiative to support the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action

(f) Natural and environmental disasters to develop partnerships to implement schemes that spread out risks, reduce insurance premiums, expand insurance coverage and thereby increase financing for post disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation, and establish and strengthen effective early warning systems as well as other mitigation and response measures agreed

India set up its national disaster management authority to strengthen the national and institutional legislative system to deal with disaster risk reduction.

Emphasizing also the responsibility of all States to undertake disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts in order to minimize the impact of natural disasters,

The effects of disasters can only be reduced through the deployment of the very best systems and knowledge, and following well prepared overall national and regional contingency plans.

The leadership of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, in coordinating system wide response to national and environmental disasters, is defined by the Hyogo Framework for Action.

17. Requests the relevant organizations of the United Nations system to support the implementation of the goals of the Strategy, including by seconding technical staff to the inter agency secretariat for the Strategy

6. Also encourages the Inter Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction to continue to enhance the coordination of activities to promote disaster reduction and to make available to the relevant United Nations entities information on options for natural disaster reduction, including severe natural hazards and extreme weather related disasters and vulnerabilities

In the aftermath of the tsunami disaster, there was no strong institutional framework to coordinate the relief effort, owing to the lack of credible local disaster management and mitigation procedures.

They should make use of existing capabilities and be well integrated into disaster reduction and disaster management policies and plans.

(b) National and local implementation of the Hyogo Framework is the essential goal for the Strategy system.

The United Nations could help such countries by developing disaster mitigation programmes and early warning systems.

Emphasizing also the responsibility of all States to undertake disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts in order to minimize the impact of natural disasters,

Recalling that the Inter Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction has been serving as the main forum within the United Nations system for devising strategies and policies for disaster reduction and ensuring complementarity of action by agencies involved in disaster reduction, mitigation and preparedness,

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 49 22 B, and within the International Framework of Action for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, the IDNDR secretariat will organize an international conference on early warning systems for the reduction of natural disasters, to be held at Potsdam, Germany, from 7 to 11 September 1998.

We should strengthen cooperative relations among various stakeholders and promote voluntary partnerships for disaster reduction.