Delhi to host Second Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the Second Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction tomorrow.

New Delhi, Nov 6 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the Second Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction tomorrow.

Fifty-two countries from the Asia and Pacific Region will participate in the two-day conference.

Thirty-three country delegations will be led by their Ministers. The total country delegates will be about 150. In addition, more than 100 experts and 50 NGOs will also participate.

The objectives of the conference are to review the action taken by the various national Governments on the Hyogo Framework of Action, review the implementation of the Beijing Action for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia, take stock of initiatives taken in various sub-regions of Asia for promoting cooperation within and outside the Governments, share best practices on Disaster Risk Reduction, discuss new international initiatives such as global platform and global facility for Disaster Risk Reduction and develop a vision and road map for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia.

The conference will have an inter-governmental segment to deliberate on four themes - mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in national policies and programmes, enhancing public-private partnership in Disaster Risk Reduction, integrating disaster reduction into rehabilitation and reconstruction activities and promoting regional co-operation in Disaster Risk Reduction.

Two technical groups will deliberate on the theme of application of science and technology in Disaster Risk Reduction and on integrating Disaster Risk Reduction in development.

An exhibition on disaster management is also being organised in which various national and international organisations will participate.

The outcome of the conference will include a "Delhi Declaration" on Disaster Risk Reduction.

The World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction was held in 2005 at Hyogo, Kobe, Japan in which Hyogo Framework of Action 2005-15 was adopted for building the resilience of nations and communities to natural disasters.

The first Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction was held in September 2005 in Beijing in which Action for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia was adopted.

ANI