Address by Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General UNESCO
delivered on behalf of the Director-General by Mr Patricio Bernal, Assistant Director-General,
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) on the occasion of the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (ICG/IOTWS)
Excellencies,
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to send this message to the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS) here in Perth, Australia. I would like first to acknowledge and sincerely thank the Government of Australia for its generosity, not only in hosting this meeting, but also in contributing actively to the development of the IOTWS.
The last seven months have been active ones. Building upon the impetus created by the 26 December 2004 tsunami and the resulting impact upon public awareness, we have made remarkable progress to reach the point where we are today. We now have an interim tsunami warning system in place that has proven its worth. National needs assessments that will be used to advance the technical plans for both national and regional systems are progressing steadily, giving excellent results and promoting a high level of national coordination. Inundation maps are being developed for a large number of countries, and detection instruments are being updated so they can provide the real-time information that is crucial to ensure accurate data. In short, though it is not yet at its optimum level, we have gone a long way in building the System.
This meeting in Perth will move us further ahead. As you know, a robust, comprehensive approach for mitigating the tsunami risk is based on three mutually dependant components: (1) the assessment of the tsunami hazard; (2) an operational detection and warning system; and (3) the planning and adoption of emergency preparedness measures. Putting these components in place has been our challenge here in the Indian Ocean. One of the tasks of this first session of the ICG will be to attempt to complete the planning of the detection networks, by defining the common minimum requirements and contributions of the different participating countries. It will also have to review plans for assessing and quantifying national needs and to decide how best to coordinate international assistance to satisfy the identified needs.
The reality of the vast Indian Ocean rim is diverse and each country still has to define the best strategy for facing the challenge of active participation in the IOTWS, while respecting the three component requirements for the System that I mentioned earlier. The international community has expressed strong support for the efforts of the countries of the region and has proven its readiness to assist. In this regard, I would like to acknowledge the contributions that several nations of the Indian Ocean are making to the System, as well as their efforts in establishing national communication infrastructures, an essential component in delivering alerts and warnings to the people at risk.
I would like to insist, however, that no nation can single-handedly provide effective warning for a natural phenomenon like a tsunami. For the detection and warning of tsunamis, especially distant ones like the one that struck last December, an international detection system based on international cooperation is required. This international detection system depends on fully integrated oceanographic networks deployed over the affected basin, as well as seismographic networks deployed over the affected territories. These networks need to be able to broadcast in real-time the data they collect.
Of course, we expect each nation to establish and develop its own national centre, which at the minimum will be able to receive data and information, deliver both to the relevant persons, and advise national emergency authorities on the measures required to warn the people at risk. I am happy to report that progress has been made in this regard. In fact, it was with great satisfaction that I was able to report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, that as a result of an initiative that your countries adopted in the Paris Coordination Meeting last March, we have, today, 25 operational national tsunami focal points receiving tsunami-relevant information and warnings from Tokyo and Honolulu within the framework of the interim system. You should know that we are conducting tests and drills to verify the communication links and, as time passes, the networks are becoming more and more effective.
Our success so far should, however, not allow us to become complacent. The national centres must try to move away from their present minimal configuration to develop their own national detection networks, their own risk-assessment and preparedness plans, and their own national educational or awareness plans.
Regarding detection, by expanding seismographic and sea-level networks, and equipping these instruments with ancillary systems that can help in local decision-making, we can accomplish much. For example, in the project that the IOC is implementing, the main goal is to enlarge the network of real-time sea-level detection instruments. All countries in the Indian Ocean basin have some sea-level measuring device operating in their ports and bays. In the majority of cases, these are not real-time instruments. The new instruments, which use solar power to make the signals autonomous from the local power source - which is usually the first thing that is lost in an emergency - will require closer supervision and maintenance. IOC expects to help with the maintenance of the new instruments for three years, and also to help train local operators in their use, once they are in place.
UNESCO has a very rich experience in building scientific capabilities in the developing world. There is no stronger message for authorities than that pertaining to early detection of tsunami, where science capabilities are developed to underpin directly an important application that has large societal implications. Building and participating in the Tsunami Warning System is a huge opportunity for developing nations to break through in the development of capacities in geosciences and oceanography, and UNESCO and others are ready to assist in this process. I recognize that these are long processes and that the immediate needs have the absolute first priority, but the durability of the system in the long run requires that we develop such an initiative in parallel.
Regarding the development of risk assessment plans, these are by necessity activities that national authorities and institutions need to conduct. However, here too there is a significant need for the transfer of know-how and technology. Precise inundation maps of coastal cities and other sensitive coastal areas are a basic tool of emergency preparedness. The technology and know-how to build them, according to our experience, can easily be transferred to each nation.
I cannot repeat often enough that the ultimate resource that is essential to the success of any warning system is individual knowledge. Populations have to know what they need to do when confronted with the emergency. Knowledge implies education, one of the main pillars of UNESCO’s action. Awareness-raising tools and experiences can be shared with great benefit. As you are no doubt aware, we have already started to work with specialized groups, such as the Asian Federation of Broadcasters and the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre, to transfer our accumulated experience from the Pacific region to the Indian Ocean region. Now it is up to you, the ICG, to take full cognizance of all these activities and fully integrate them into your planning for the IOTWS.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are very satisfied to see that many of your countries are actively building capabilities and securing the resources to make a strong contribution to the international effort. The Indian Ocean is vast and will require several strong national systems that can take the lead at the sub-regional level, and take on a significant part of the burden of operating the system in its initial phases, while other countries are still in the process of building their capacities. I look to these strong nations to ensure that no one is left behind.
Finally, I would like to thank the many governments, both within and outside the Indian Ocean region, which have contributed vast resources, enabling UNESCO and its IOC to undertake the important task of establishing the IOTWS. In this regard, allow me to extend particular thanks to the Governments of Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the USA and the European Union. I would also like to reiterate my thanks and gratitude to the Government of Australia, which is so kindly hosting this meeting, and is providing tremendous support for the establishment of the IOTWS, including for the Secretariat of its ICG, which will be based here in Perth, in the UNESCO/IOC Regional Programme Office.
It only remains for me to wish you a fruitful meeting. I am sure you will make great progress in reaching our common goal.
Thank you.
last update:6 August 2005
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