| 1)
In June 1989, the UNDP
Governing Council first allocated core resources
for disaster preparedness, with an approved policy framework aimed
| “to
stimulate the interest and actions needed to create comprehensive
disaster preparedness plans, strategies and structures
and to promote disaster mitigation activities within the
context of development planning and implementation”.
|
Since
then, UNDP has developed a substantive body of disaster reduction
and recovery activities, as part of its portfolio of cooperation
with programme countries, implemented through its Resident Representatives,
Regional Bureaux and specialised programmes.
2)
The United
Nations Programme for Reform, in 1997, undertook
to redistribute operational aspects of responsibilities of the
Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) to other parts of the UN system.
Functions of disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness
were noted as relating to national capabilities and, therefore,
more appropriately situated in UNDP. Based on these proposals,
the General Assembly decided at its 52nd session to transfer to
UNDP the responsibilities of the ERC for operational activities
for natural disaster mitigation, prevention and preparedness.
3)
In mid-1998, in response to this decision, and to further focus
its overall strategy and range of activities in the field of disaster
reduction, UNDP established the Disaster Reduction Unit
(DRU) as a component of its Emergency Response Division
(ERD), now the Bureau
for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) - see bcpr
organigram. In 2000, an informal session of the Executive
Board of UNDP and UNFPA responded positively to a presentation
by the then ERD on “UNDP in disaster reduction and recovery”.
In its first regular session of 2001 the Executive Board approved
the
“Role of UNDP in crisis and post-conflict situations”
as part of the UNDP Business Plans 2000 – 2003, fully recognizing
the importance of disaster reduction and recovery as a component
of its business area on crisis prevention and recovery.
4)
Since 1998, with administrative services funded by the UN regular
budget, the programming opportunities afforded by TRAC 1.1.3 resources
and the creation of the BCPR
Thematic Trust Fund for Crisis Prevention and Recovery,
UNDP has brought focus and substantive support to its overall
strategy and wide range of disaster reduction and recovery activities.
Considerable progress has been made in developing a policy and
implementation framework that adds value to ongoing UNDP activities
in disaster reduction and recovery, to the work of the UN Resident
Co-ordinator system and which in partnership with UN agencies
and others works to strengthen national capacities; facilitate
regional co-operation in areas such as training and information
and promote and advocate the adoption of comprehensive, multisectoral,
multidisciplinary policy initiatives at the international level. |
