www.unisdr.org

Briefing by the Director of the SecretariatBriefing by the Director of the Secretariat

Sálvano BriceñoSálvano Briceño

IATF-6 24-25 October 2002IATF-6 24-25 October 2002

Disaster risk reduction is gaining momentum within and outside the UN:

• recent major disasters- floods in recent major disasters- floods in Europe and Asia, drought in Southern Europe and Asia, drought in Southern AfricaAfrica

• increased vulnerability, environmental increased vulnerability, environmental degradation and threat posed by degradation and threat posed by climate changeclimate change

• outcome of World Summit on outcome of World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)Sustainable Development (WSSD)

• UN Reform Proposal by the S-G and UN Reform Proposal by the S-G and discussion at Senior Management discussion at Senior Management Group (introduced by Mr. Oshima)Group (introduced by Mr. Oshima)

Since last IATF - six monthsSince last IATF - six monthsMajor developments, Major developments, Secretariat consolidationSecretariat consolidation

-Office move to Palais des Nations, -Office move to Palais des Nations, staff changesstaff changes

-’-’Living with Risk’Living with Risk’ -first phase of global -first phase of global review of disaster reductionreview of disaster reduction

-Outcome of WSSD: Plan of -Outcome of WSSD: Plan of implementation and partnershipsimplementation and partnerships

-New inter-agency agreements (UNDP, -New inter-agency agreements (UNDP, OCHA signed… UNEP and ProVention OCHA signed… UNEP and ProVention Consortium underway….)Consortium underway….)

-ISDR Support Group and updated -ISDR Support Group and updated workplan 2002-2003workplan 2002-2003

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

2002-2003 focus on:• Strengthen

institutional and political position

• Resources

• Build partnerships

IStrategic priorities-

“If we don’t do it, we won’t 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 children’s 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 UN-Sasakawa Award 2003 – on the International Day for Disaster International Day for Disaster ReductionReduction

Awardee:Awardee: Prof. Sergueï Balassanian, Armenia, AASPEI

Certificates: M.S. Rahman, Bangladesh Dist. Prepdnss.M.S. Rahman, Bangladesh Dist. Prepdnss. CentreCentre

•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 Int’l Early Warning Conf. 2003 (Germany)

Strengthen El Niño & early warning int’l 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 2003-2004

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)

1INFORMATION

SYSTEM (Phase 1)

NETWORKING

2SPECIALIZED

LIBRARY(with UN

Library)

3WEBSITE

4PUBLICATIONS

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

2002 2003Budget Income and

pledgesBudget Pledges

Core 2,508,600 1,801,435 2,600,000 1,071,429

Outreach 1,479,170 1,383,868 2,000,000 791,290

TOTAL 3,987,770 3,185,303 4,600,000 1,862,719

%Coverage

79,88% 40,49 %

Financial situation 2002-03

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