India calls for multilateral effort on world disasters

United Nations, March 10 (UNI) India has urged the UN members states to re-define multilateralism by co-operating with each other during calamities.

Speaking at the formal launch of a new UN disaster relief body, known as the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) yesterday, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said, "International cooperation in disaster and humanitarian relief is the praxis of that ancient Indian idea - the world is one family." "India has always supported efforts aimed at addressing the difficulties faced by the developing nations," he added.

The fund, which is expected to draw 500 million dollars in amount, has already received pledges totaling 256 million dollars from 36 nations.

Britain is the leading contributor (70 million dollars), followed by Sweden (41 million dollars) and Norway (30 million dollars).

India initially pledged 2 million dollars for the fund, which is replenished as money is spent on calamities, with the possibility of more in the works.

" We see CERF is an instrument conceived to address a vital need of the developing world and support in fulfilling the noble objective for which it was conceived," Mr Sharma, who was on a two-day visit to the world body mainly in connection with the fund inauguration, said.

He pointed out that India itself has been, over the past two years, a victim of natural calamities - the tsunami in December 2004 and the earthquake in October 2005. India has set up a National Disaster Management Center under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.

"We're also establishing a SAARC Regional Disaster Management Center," the minister said, referring to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. "We'd be happy to share our skills and expertise with other members of the international community." Expressing happiness over the setting up of the new fund, Mr Sharma hoped that CERF would be transparent and accountable.

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