Officials and experts from 57 OSCE participating States are meeting to exchange experiences on effective ways to manage risks posed by environmental disasters, and to look at how they are applied in practice. The event is the 2nd Preparatory Meeting of the 22nd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum, which this year focuses on “Responding to environmental challenges with a view to promoting cooperation and security in the OSCE area”.
The discussions focus on disaster preparedness and the impact disasters can have on safety and security. Other issues include adapting to climate change and disaster risk reduction at local level, measures to reduce disaster risks at an international, cross-border and national level, and the cross-dimensional impacts of natural and man-made disasters.
On 21 May, two simultaneous field visits take place in the Valais. The first visit deals with the management of natural and technical risks in the flood plain of the River Rhone in the municipality of Monthey. The second visit showcases cross-border co-operation between Italy and Switzerland in managing disaster risks in a mountainous area along the transnational route of the Grand-Saint-Bernard.
OSCE meeting and field visits on disaster risk reduction in Montreux and the Valais
Tuesday, 20.05.2014 Wednesday, 21.05.2014
Conference; OSCE
Location: Montreux and Valais
Additional information
Information for media
Comunication of the OSCE
- The conference on the website of the OSCE
- The OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum
- OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities
Video
- «Making communities more resilient»
- «Cooperation»
- «Cooperation»
- Interview with Anna Ifkovits, Counselor at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the OSCE (La Télé, fr)
- Interview with Thomas Greminger, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the OSCE (La Télé, fr)
Interview
Speeches
- Opening Statement by Mr Yves Rossier, State Secretary (FDFA) (en) (PDF, 52.3 kB)
- Opening Statement by Mr Manuel Bessler, Delegate for humantitairan Aid and SHA (SDC) (en) (PDF, 5 Страницы, 48.2 kB)
- Opening Remarks by Dr. Halil Yurdakul Yigitguden, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (en) (PDF, 4 Страницы, 53.4 kB)
- Opening Statement by Axel Rottländer, DKKV (en) (PDF, 4 Страницы, 142.3 kB)
- Opening Remarks by Frederick S. Tipson, United States Institute of Peace (en) (PDF, 6 Страницы, 78.9 kB)
Documents