International Flood Initiative (IFI)-2nd Global Platform for DRR-Geneva

International Flood Initiative

HLEP_IFI

1. Introduction

At the occasion of the 5th World Water Forum (WWF) in Istanbul, March 2009, the “Water and Disaster” Action Plan, report of the High-Level Expert Panel on Water and Disaster/UNSGAB (HLEP), was launched by H.E. Dr. Han Seung-soo, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea. At the same time, a workshop by the International Flood Initiative was organized in the WWF5 to catalyze global agenda toward Integrated Flood Management. The IFI partners also highlighted their commitment to two specific items (No.2 and 30) in the “Water and Disaster” Action Plan. This special event is organized by the International Flood Initiative (IFI) to follow-up the recommendation and to start implementation of actions recommended in the “Water and Disaster” Action Plan.

2. Organizers

The main convener of the event is the International Flood Initiative (IFI) consisting of representatives of UNESCO, WMO, UNU, UN/ISDR, and the International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM) as the IFI Secretariat. IFI is a framework for promoting collaboration on flood risk reduction based on the Hyogo Framework for Action and serves as a thematic group of the ISDR system. In order to organize the event, IFI as the main convener received great support from the Japan Water Forum, the Korea Water Forum, and a few other members and organizations related to the High-level Expert Panel on Water and Dissater/UNSGAB.

3. Venue and Date

Centre International de Conférences de Genève (CICG), Room 5

June 19, 2009 (13:00 to 14:45)

4. Agenda and Presentation Files

13:00 - 13:10 Opening Address

H.E. Mr. Shinichi Kitajima

Ambassador, the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations

and Other International Organizations in Geneva

Welcome address

Mr. Salvano Briceno

Director, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR)

13:10 - 13:20 An introduction to the “Water and Disaster” Action Plan