General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

2 December 1994

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                             A/RES/49/22
                                          A: 74th plenary meeting
                                             2 December 1994
                                          B: 93rd plenary meeting
                                             20 December 1994
 
          49/22. International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
 
                                       A
 
      The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 42/169 of 11 December 1987, 43/202 of 20
December 1988, 44/236 of 22 December 1989, 45/185 of 21 December 1990, 46/149
of 18 December 1991, 46/182 of 19 December 1991 and 48/188 of 21 December
1993,
 
      Expressing its support to all countries that have suffered a large loss
of human life and heavy physical and economic damage as a result of natural
disasters,
 
      Emphasizing the important role of professional and other
non-governmental organizations, particularly scientific and technological
societies, humanitarian groups and investment institutions, in the
implementation of programmes and activities of the International Decade for
Natural Disaster Reduction, proclaimed by the General Assembly in its
resolution 44/236,
 
      Recognizing the close interrelationship between disaster reduction and
sustainable development, which was already recognized at the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development and taken into account in Agenda 21,
 
      Having considered the Yokohama Message and the Yokohama Strategy for a
Safer World:  Guidelines for Natural Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and
Mitigation, in particular its Plan of Action, as adopted by the World
Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction, held at Yokohama, Japan, from 23 to
27 May 1994, and the recommendations and reports of the Main Committee and the
Technical Committees of the Conference,
 
      Having also considered the mid-term review of the implementation of the
International Framework of Action for the International Decade for Natural
Disaster Reduction and recommendations made by the Economic and Social Council
at its substantive session of 1994 for the purpose of providing guidance for
the continuing implementation of the Decade,
 
      Convinced that each country bears the primary responsibility for
protecting its people, infrastructure and other national assets from the
impact of natural disasters and for taking steps to reduce the vulnerability
of populations in areas at risk from natural hazards,
 
      Noting that natural disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness
measures can reduce the need for disaster response and contribute to improved
levels of safety and that they are essential elements of integrated disaster
management programmes,
 
      Noting also that the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World calls for
promoting and strengthening subregional, regional and international
cooperation in activities to reduce natural and other related disasters
through prevention, mitigation and preparedness measures,
 
      Taking note of the note by the Secretary-General on the Decade and the
mid- term review of the implementation of the International Framework of
Action for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction carried out
by the Economic and Social Council, and the report and recommendations of the
World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction,
 
      1.    Endorses the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World:  Guidelines for
Natural Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and Mitigation, in particular its
Plan of Action, adopted on 27 May 1994 by the World Conference on Natural
Disaster Reduction;
 
      2.    Endorses also the mid-term review of the implementation of the
International Framework of Action for the International Decade for Natural
Disaster Reduction, carried out by the Economic and Social Council at its
substantive session of 1994;
 
      3.    Reiterates its call upon Member States, relevant intergovernmental
bodies and all other participants in the Decade to participate actively in the
financial and technical support of the Decade activities, including those of
the secretariat of the Decade, in order to ensure the implementation of the
International Framework of Action, in particular, with a view to translating
the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World and the Plan of Action contained
therein and the recommendations made by the Main Committee and the Technical
Committees of the Conference into concrete disaster reduction programmes and
activities;
 
      4.    Requests, therefore, the Secretary-General to ensure that the
outcome of the Conference is disseminated as widely as possible and that the
Yokohama Message and the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World are transmitted
to all Member States, relevant international and regional organizations,
multilateral financial institutions and the regional development banks in
order to secure their active and substantive contributions;
 
      5.    Encourages all developing and least developed countries to
continue to mobilize domestic resources for disaster reduction activities and
to facilitate the effective implementation of those activities;
 
      6.    Recommends that donor countries give greater priority to disaster
prevention, mitigation and preparedness in their assistance programmes and
budgets, on either a bilateral or multilateral basis, including through
increasing contributions to the Trust Fund for the Decade;
 
      7.    Calls upon all countries exposed to disasters to take further
action to reduce their vulnerability by incorporating disaster reduction in
their planning for sustainable development, based on the assessment of risk,
and encourages them to pursue the possibility of regional cooperation in the
light of the recommendations of the Conference;
 
      8.    Expresses its gratitude to the members of the Special High-Level
Council for the Decade for their contribution during the first half of the
Decade, and invites the Secretary-General to strengthen the Council on the
basis of the experience gained so far by revising its objectives, functions
and composition, as follows:
 
      (a)   It should effectively promote public awareness;
 
      (b)   It should increase private-sector involvement;
 
      (c)   It should continue to provide overall advice with respect to the
Decade;
 
      (d)   It should provide substantive support for the formulation of the
Decade policies and for the management of the Trust Fund for the Decade;
 
      (e)   It should ensure adequate cooperation and coordination between
beneficiaries, donors and the United Nations system in the process of
implementing the Decade;
 
      (f)   Its membership should be based on equitable geographical and
sectoral representation;
 
      9.    Commends the Scientific and Technical Committee on the Decade for
the work accomplished during the first half of the Decade, and encourages the
Committee to continue its support for Decade activities, rotating one third of
its membership every year;
 
      10.   Also commends the efforts of national committees and focal points
for the Decade in raising the profile of disaster reduction activities at the
national level, encourages them to continue in their efforts, and urges those
Member States that have not yet done so to establish national committees or
focal points;
 
      11.   Expresses its deep appreciation to those countries that have
generously provided financial and technical support for Decade activities;
 
      12.   Calls upon the Secretary-General to ensure that the
Under-Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs continues to bring closer
together the operational and promotional efforts in disaster prevention,
mitigation and preparedness, particularly those activities implemented by the
United Nations humanitarian and development agencies, thus paving the way for
successful attainment of the goals and objectives of the Decade;
 
      13.   Invites the Secretary-General to make the Yokohama Strategy for a
Safer World and its Plan of Action available to forthcoming conferences
concerned with development issues for their consideration as appropriate;
 
      14.   Invites the Secretary-General, therefore, to ensure the effective
implementation of the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World, in particular its
Plan of Action, inter alia, through the closest possible cooperation and
synergy between the secretariat of the Decade and those entities of the
Department of Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat relating to disaster
prevention, mitigation and preparedness;
 
      15.   Requests the Secretary-General to review and extend the mandate of
the Steering Committee of the United Nations for the International Decade for
Natural Disaster Reduction and other related organizational entities
established by the Secretary- General in 1988 to continue to coordinate the
activities of the participating organizations within the International
Framework of Action for the International Decade for Natural Disaster
Reduction, and to enable close cooperation between the Steering Committee and
the United Nations Inter-Agency Standing Committee, where appropriate;
 
      16.   Calls upon all United Nations bodies and specialized agencies to
participate actively in the implementation of the Plan of Action contained in
the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World and to consider this issue at the
forthcoming sessions of their respective governing bodies;
 
      17.   Commends those organizations that, in line with the open and
participatory nature of the Decade, have already made significant
contributions to the programme for the Decade;
 
      18.   Requests the Secretary-General to appeal to all Member States,
international financial institutions and the private sector to contribute
generously to the Trust Fund for financing the activities envisaged by the
Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World and its Plan of Action;
 
      19.   Invites the Secretary-General, in order to secure the timely
implementation of the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World and its Plan of
Action, to make proposals to the General Assembly at its fiftieth session on
all possible ways and means to ensure the functional security and continuity
of disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness, taking into account the
recommendations of the Conference;
 
      20.   Expects the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction to
be duly represented in those activities that commemorate the fiftieth
anniversary of the United Nations;
 
      21.   Decides to convene, not later than the year 2000, a second world
conference on natural disaster reduction in order to carry out an overall
review of the accomplishments of the Decade and map a strategy for continued
disaster reduction activities into the twenty-first century;
 
      22.   Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly
at its fiftieth session initial recommendations for a second world conference
on natural disaster reduction, on the basis of the successful arrangements of
the first Conference;
 
      23.   Also requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly at
its fiftieth session a report on progress made in the implementation of the
present resolution and of the recommendations of the mid-term review of the
implementation of the International Framework of Action for the International
Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction carried out by the Economic and Social
Council at its substantive session of 1994.
 
                                       B
 
             Early warning capacities of the United Nations system
                        with regard to natural disasters
 
      The General Assembly,
 
      Reaffirming its resolutions 46/182 of 19 December 1991, 47/168 of 22
December 1992 and 48/57 of 14 December 1993,
 
      Recalling the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World:  Guidelines for
Natural Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and Mitigation, the outcome of the
World Conference On Natural Disaster Reduction, held at Yokohama, Japan, from
23 to 27 May 1994, and specifically that early warnings and the effective
dissemination of such information are key factors to successful disaster
prevention and preparedness,
 
      Considering the very large number of lives lost and the high amount of
material damage that occurs yearly, caused by natural disasters and similar
disasters with an adverse impact on the environment,
 
      Convinced of the need to increase awareness, prevention and mitigation
of and preparedness for natural disasters and similar disasters with an
adverse impact on the environment,
 
      Taking into account already existing early-warning capacities within the
United Nations system, in particular within the Department of Humanitarian
Affairs of the Secretariat, the United Nations Environment Programme, the
World Meteorological Organization, the World Health Organization and the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
 
      Conscious of the need to avoid a duplication of work among United
Nations bodies dealing with early-warning capacities,
 
      Mindful that early warning for the prevention and mitigation of and
preparedness for natural disasters and similar disasters with an adverse
impact on the environment is important for all countries, especially the
developing countries,
 
      Reaffirming that sustained economic growth and sustainable development
are essential for the prevention of and the preparedness against natural
disasters and similar disasters with an adverse impact on the environment, and
that special attention should be given to disaster prevention and preparedness
by Governments concerned as well as by the international community,
 
      1.    Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly
at its fiftieth session on early-warning capacities within the United Nations
system and to make proposals on how they may be improved and better
coordinated in order to provide for an adequate response to natural disasters
and similar disasters with an adverse impact on the environment and, in this
context, also to make concrete proposals on the transfer of technologies
related to early warning, in particular to developing countries, taking into
account chapter 34 of Agenda 21, as well as the Principles of the Yokohama
Strategy for a Safer World:  Guidelines for Natural Disaster Prevention,
Preparedness and Mitigation;
 
      2.    Also requests the Secretary-General to include in his report
recommendations on the capacity of the United Nations system to coordinate
effectively information about natural disasters and similar disasters with an
adverse impact on the environment and to pass on this information to regional,
national and sectoral early- warning capacities.