NOTE: External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.
|
The State Department web site below is a permanent
electronic archive of information released prior to January 20, 2001.
Please see www.state.gov for
material released since President George W. Bush took office on that
date. This site is not updated so external links may no longer
function. Contact
us with any questions about finding information.
NOTE: External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein. |
|
|
Background on Meeting of International Disaster Experts in Washington DC July 16/17, 1998 |
Email Conference Participants |
||||||||
Background on Conference
THE CONFERENCE OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT EXPERTS WAS INITIALLY PLANNED FOR LAST DECEMBER, BUT THEN POSTPONED FOR JULY
16 AND 17 AT THE US DEPARTMENT OF STATE. THE CONFERENCE FOCUSED ON THE POSSIBILITY OF A GLOBAL DISASTER INFORMATION NETWORK (GDIN). DRAFT CONFERENCE AGENDA IS HERE.. A CONFERENCE OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT EXPERTS TO DISCUSS THE GDIN CONCEPT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED BY PARTICIPANTS IN A ReliefWeb -- UNDHA (UN DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, THE PREDECESSOR TO THE OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - OCHA) SYMPOSIUM IN GENEVA ON OCTOBER 8 AND 9, 1997, AND A SPECIAL MEETING OF GOVERNMENTS, NGO'S AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AT THE US MISSION, GENEVA ON OCTOBER 7, 1997.IN FEBRUARY 1997, VICE PRESIDENT GORE REQUESTED THAT SENIOR USG OFFICIALS DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF A GLOBAL DISASTER INFORMATION NETWORK (GDIN). HE ENVISIONED A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, NGO'S AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO SHARE REMOTE SENSING DATA UTILIZING THE EXISTING GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.
A FEASIBILITY STUDY, FROM THE U.S. POINT OF VIEW, WAS COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER, 1997. THIS STUDY, AND OTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THE GDIN CONCEPT, IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT:
www.disasterinfo.netTHOSE WISHING HARD COPIES OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY MAY FAX THEIR REQUESTS TO LARRY ROEDER AT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE BY SENDING HIM AN
email at lroeder@gdin.orgAS WORK BEGAN ON A U.S. NATIONAL DISASTER INFORMATION NETWORK, THE USG RECOGNIZED THAT THE GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH A NATIONAL NETWORK INCLUDE MANY INTERNATIONAL ISSUES. BEFORE SETTING ANY PRECEDENTS, THE USG WAS ANXIOUS TO INVOLVE PARTNERS FROM THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY. THIS INITIATIVE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BUILD ON SEVERAL ONGOING INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS SUCH AS GEMINI AND RELIEFWEB.
THE GDIN CONCEPT HAS NOT YET BEEN FINALIZED. WHILE MANY OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL AND INFORMATIONAL COMPONENTS WHICH WOULD MAKE UP THE PROPOSED GDIN ALREADY EXIST, THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY MAY BE LINKED AND SHARED NEEDS TO BE DETERMINED.
THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF A GDIN WOULD BE TO FACILITATE THE SHARING OF INFORMATION TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES WORLDWIDE. THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WOULD IMPROVE EARLY WARNING AND MANAGEMENT OF ALL PHASES OF DISASTERS, SUCH AS FLOODS, TORNADOES, HURRICANES, EARTHQUAKES, VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS, LANDSLIDES, WILDFIRES AND DROUGHT.
THROUGH ITS LINKS TO EXISTING CENTERS, THE NETWORK COULD SERVE AS A FORUM FOR DISASTER RELIEF AND MITIGATION MANAGERS TO COLLABORATE ON PLANNING AND OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES. BY ENGENDERING INCREASED COMMUNICATION AND PARTNERSHIP THESE COLLABORATIVE LINKS WOULD ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL CAPACITY AND ENABLE THEM TO ACCESS AND ANALYZE INFORMATION MORE EFFECTIVELY. THE GOAL IS GETTING THE RIGHT INFORMATION IN THE RIGHT FORMAT TO THE RIGHT PERSON ON TIME SO THAT THE RIGHT DECISION CAN BE MADE.
WITH A WIDE RANGE OF POTENTIAL GDIN USERS, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT, NGO, COMMERCIAL, ACADEMIC AND OTHER SECTORS, THE NETWORK WOULD SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR ESTABLISHING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CONCERNING THE SUSTAINABLE AND TIMELY UTILIZATION OF DATA FROM ALL SOURCES FOR COMPREHENSIVE DISASTER MANAGEMENT.
THE TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE VIA A GDIN INCLUDE REMOTE SENSING IMAGERY (SATELLITE PHOTOGRAPHY), WEATHER DATA, SEISMOLOGICAL DATA, HISTORICAL DATA ON HARVEST PATTERNS, FLOOD PLAINS, ETC.
NO EFFORT WAS MADE AT THE CONFERENCE TO REACH A FORMAL AGREEMENT ON A GDIN. THE USG WISHES INSTEAD TO FULLY EXPLORE THE CONCEPT, LISTEN TO IDEAS THAT POTENTIAL PARTNERS MIGHT HAVE, AND ASCERTAIN WHAT ASSETS PARTNERS MIGHT BRING TO SUCH A NETWORK.
For questions: email: secretariat@gdin.org
