The Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster
Reduction meets in Geneva

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster Reduction held its fifth meeting in Geneva on 25-26 April 2002. The meeting focused on several matters relating to the preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, this year’s disaster reduction information campaign as well as the ongoing Global Review of disaster reduction initiatives initiated by the ISDR Secretariat. Reports from each of the four Working Groups were also presented and commented. Under the chairmanship of the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Kenzo Oshima, participants identified the intended course of action to ensure that disaster reduction aspects are adequately reflected in the work leading to WSSD and during the Summit itself. The Task Force concentrated also on the issue of drought and a substantive discussion on this particular natural hazard saw the participation of each Working Group and several other experts. Among other decisions taken by the meeting, the establishment of an ad-hoc discussion group on drought, which will be composed of two experts from each Task Force Working Group and will present a written report in time for the next meeting of the Task Force due to be held in autumn this year.

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