1st Consultative meeting for developing a 'Local Government Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction'
A Consultative Meeting for developing the LGA/DRR was held in Barcelona, Spain, on 22-23 May 2008. The meeting was attended by some 15 representatives of local and regional authorities from Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States, as well as from UN agencies, NGOs and the academia.
The meeting served as a reality check and a brainstorming session to obtain preliminary feedback on a proposal to develop the LGA/DRR. Based on the draft Concept Note prepared by the UN/ISDR secretariat, the meeting stimulated a constructive debate around the potential scope, objectives and added value of the Alliance.
Substantive comments and observations on the LGA/DRR concept were put forward, and initial commitment to the Alliance reached. Next steps and follow-up actions were also discussed and agreed upon, in the lead-up to the next session of the GP/DRR in June 2009.
A broader meeting will be organized in the coming months, to which additional partners - including a broader range of local governments and city associations - will be invited to participate. The meeting was co-organized by the UN/ISDR secretariat, the UNDP Special Unit for South-South Collaboration, and the Advisory Council for Sustainable Development of the Government of Catalonia.