Regional Scientific-Technical Conference

on the Role of NHMSs in prevention and mitigation of natural hazards impact

The Second Conference Steering Committee Meeting

The second meeting of the Steering Committee of Regional Conference on the Role of NHMSs in prevention and mitigation of natural hazards impact, 9-10 October 2008, was held in Chişinău on 16 May 2008 in the Codru Hotel. The meeting was organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources in cooperation with the State Hydrometeorological Service and was moderated by the Minister of ecology and natural resources, Chair of the Conference Steering Committee, Mrs. Violeta Ivanov and by the Director of the State Hydrometeorological Service, Co-chair of the Conference Steering Committee, Mr. Valeriu Cazac.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration was represented by the Chief of UN and UN Specialized Agencies Department, Mr. Gheorghe Leucă.  The meeting was also attended by Mr.  Robert O. Masters, Director, Development and Regional Activities Department, World Meteorological Organization and Mrs. Natalia Berghi, project Officer of the same Department; Mr. Jose Achache, Director, Group on Earth Observations; Mr. Michael Staudinger,  EMMA Project Manager, EUMETNET; Mr. Martti Heikinheimo, Development Director, Weather and Safety, Finnish Meteorological Institute and Mr. Jan Kubat, Chair, Working Group on Hydrology, Czech Hydrometeorological Institute.

During the meeting the Steering Committee has discussed the organizational issues and adopted important decisions related to the Conference.

The conference will be an important event at international and national level and its objectives are to emphasize the importance of NHMSs in preparedness of the society for the natural hazards and are as follows:

-          To reflect the role of NHMSs and their cooperation with the user community and other relevant institutions in the disaster risk reduction, in reaching the common goal of preventing and mitigating the natural hazards impact towards a sustainable development. 

-          To evaluate, with the key WMO partners, as UN/ISDR, GEO, World Bank, the critical role of NHMSs in disaster risk reduction at the national and regional level,

-          To identify and prioritize major gaps and needs for the developing of the disaster risk reduction capacities, and

-          To develop concrete plans to address these challenges sustainable over time.

National Hydrological and Services Meteorological represent the main unit of national infrastructure for the prevention and mitigation of natural hazards impact.

Thus the Regional Scientific and Technical Conference on the Role of the NHMSs in prevention and mitigation of natural hazards impact to be held on 9-10 October 2008 in Chisinau Republic of Moldova will be an effective multidisciplinary event and an important step towards concrete regional cooperative events for the disaster risk reduction capacity building in the region.