Risk Knowledge and Innovation

As governments enter the second week of negotiations at the United Nations climate summit in Cancun, Mexico, UNISDR today signed an agreement with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) to strengthen collaboration on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

Kisumu, Kenya – Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya will join the UNISDR-led campaign “Making Cities Resilient -- My city is getting ready!” at a ceremony on 8 December, adding to the list of over 150 other municipalities worldwide. Kisumu is the leading communication and trading centre for countries of the Great Lakes Region that includes Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. Like many cities in Africa, Kisumu is vulnerable to risks brought by climate change, which coupled with rapid urban growth, will pose mounting challenges for the local government as it seeks to protect citizens from disaster.

Among the Karamajong pastoralists in Uganda, hundreds of thousands are struggling to find enough pasture. Seasons appear to have shrunk in number and variety. Rainfall is more unpredictable and shorter in duration. Wind storms have increased in strength. Worsening drought and changing rainfall patterns are ever-present.

ADDIS ABABA -- Delegates of the the 11th Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM-Africa) in Addis Ababa, November 14-15, 2010 closed the meeting on a high note confirming that they will strengthen their efforts to deliver as one for the AU and its NEPAD Programme. Key presentations focused on the need for the RCM, cluster and sub-clusters to be more result and impact oriented. Clusters were requested to develop programmes in consultation with the AUC and RECs based on their priorities and programmes. The participants also recommended to improve interaction among the AU Departments and inter-cluster relation especially on some cross-cutting issues.

Investors in partnership with UNISDR held an Entrepreneurial Finance Seminar on 25 October to provide Kenyan entrepreneurs with training on capital formation options in the over-the-counter market in the United States. > View full story

Nairobi is one of the latest cities to join the World Disaster Reduction Campaign “Making Cities Resilient - My city is getting ready!” The signing in ceremony was led by Pedro Basabe, Head of the UNISDR Regional Office for Africa and it took place on 13 October during the celebration of International Day for Disaster Reduction at the Korogocho informal settlements. > View full story

The second round of government-led progress review on the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action is underway. More than fifty countries have already carried out the self-assessment. A number of regional bodies have also started to conduct an assessment of their progress in disaster risk reduction. The results of the country and regional assessments received before the end of 2010 will be presented in the 2011 Global Assessment Report. > View full story

Tackling urban risk is everybody's business -- from national to local governments, community groups, professional associations and the international community -- and will help reduce poverty, said an UNISDR official today at the global launch of the World Disasters Report 2010 in Nairobi, published by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The report’s focus on urban risk coincides with the theme of the World Disaster Reduction Campaign "Making cities resilient- My city is getting ready!", which was launched by UNISDR and partners last May in Bonn, Germany.