PM to inaugurate Asian Conference on Disaster on Nov 7-8

New Delhi, Nov 2 (UNI) Tsunami, floods, super-cyclones, earthquakes and other natural calamities would be the focus of the Second Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to be held here on November 7-8.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would inaugurate the conference while UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi would deliver the keynote address at the conference which would formulate a Plan of Action on risk reduction and mitigation of suffering and devastation caused by natural calamities. Home Minister Shivraj Patil would give the valedictory address at the conference being organised for the first time in India, informed U N Panjiyar, Secretary (Border Management) in the Home Ministry.

A Delhi Declaration would be adopted at the end of the Conference which would ask the countries to incorporate the disaster risk reduction and mitigation into the mainstream of the development process itself.

The Conference would have an inter-governmental segment to deliberate on four themes like 'Mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction in national policies and programmes', 'Enhancing public private partnership in DRR', 'Integrating Distaster Reuction into Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Activities' and 'Promoting Regional Cooperation in DRR'. Application of Science and Technology in DRR and Integrating DRR into Development would also be deliberated by experts at the conference.

Minister incharge of 60 countries of the Asia Pacific region were invited for the conference of which 48 countries have confirmed participation. Thirty-three delegations will be led by Ministers while the total country delegates will be about 150. In addition, 103 experts on disaster management, United Nations agencies and NGOs would also participate in the conference.

An exhibition on disaster management would also be organised in which organisations from India and abroad would participate.

The Conference would review the action taken by the governments and other stakeholders for the implementation of the Hyogo Framework of Action as a follow up to the Beijing Action for Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia. This would be done as the World Confernce on DRR held in Hyogo, Japan in 2005 had adopted HFA for building resilience of nations and communities to natural disasters which was followed first Asian Ministerial Conference oN DRR in 2005.

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