Ms. Mami Mizutori met with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Mr. Saad El Hariri, earlier this week

BEIRUT, 10 April, 2019 - Efforts are underway to hold a first Arab Science and Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction Conference in Beirut later this year.

This follows a meeting between the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mami Mizutori, and the Secretary-General of Lebanon’s National Council for Scientific Research, Prof. Mouin Hamze.

Ms. Mizutori met yesterday with Prof. Hamze and today told the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development that she was hopeful the Conference would take place later this year and acknowledged the National Council’s role in hosting the recently formed Arab Science and Technology Advisory Group.

“Partnerships, if they are to succeed, need to be nurtured,” she said and called for similar support to be given to other groups including the Arab DRR Children and Youth Group; the Arab DRR Civil Society Group; the Arab Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Group; and the Arab Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

“It is encouraging to see that stakeholder groups not only have presented their statement of action but have also developed concrete action plans,” she told today’s Special Session on Partnerships.

Ms. Mizutori went on to say:  “We need to increase ambition in everything we do to succeed in reducing disaster losses, which is fundamental to eradicating poverty, hunger and the achievement of all other SDGs.