In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene that hit the east coast of the United States just over a week ago, it is a reminder that disasters caused by extreme weather events are becoming common place even for countries and cities that are considered to be at the pinnacle of development.

The Minister of State for Environment, Hon. Flavia Munaaba, launched a special joint session on disaster risk reduction during the Twenty-Ninth Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF29). The aim of the special session is to move towards a “paradigm” shift when addressing climate change and risks for sustainable development in the Region.

Today marked National Disaster Reduction day in Japan, an annual event which commemorates the Great Kanto Earthquake which devastated Tokyo and surrounding areas in 1923. This year’s event, however, is particularly poignant, being the first since the 11 March Great East Japan Earthquake.

The Southern Africa Development Community Disaster Risk Reduction Unit, GFDRR and UNISDR are conducting a disaster risk reduction stakeholders training workshop from 27-28 August 2011.

As the world celebrates World Humanitarian Day, UNISDR, the strategic arm of the United Nations working on disaster risk reduction, recognizes the valuable contribution of humanitarian workers who risk their lives everyday to help others, whilst emphasizing their crucial role in reducing disaster risk.

As the United Nations today commemorates the 17th International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples under the theme of "Indigenous designs: celebrating stories and cultures, crafting our own future", it is perhaps timely to flag the positive contributions such cultures are able to make to DDR and CCA.

The Government of the Philippines and the United Nations secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) will launch the latest United Nation’s Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR11) this Tuesday, 26 July, from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., at the Sen. Padilla Room, the Senate of the Philippines, Manila.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dao Xuan Hoc said the Ministry is working with relevant national and local departments to enact a law on disaster risk prevention and reduction, clearly defining the roles of the Government and to assure that citizens had access to information on disaster risks.