Cuba a World Leader in Natural Disaster Prevention, Says UN Expert
Campaign News | Thursday, 2 June 2005
Island is to help others in region
Havana, June 1: Cuba is a world leader in the struggle against natural disasters, recognized Jan Egeland, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, on Wednesday.
The UN expert spoke at a seminar and workshop for national authorities on Risk Management Policies, Systems and Experiences in the Caribbean, underway at the Havana Convention Center.
The Cuban system for the protection and training of its population in order to reduce the impact of natural disasters is considered one of the best in the world, said the expert.
As a result, few lives are lost when natural disasters occur on the island, compared with other countries like Haiti, where 2,000 people died when a tropical storm led to flooding last year in the town of Gonaives, Egeland told AIN news agency.
The UN expert suggested that Cuba could assist other nations to prevent natural disasters by sending technicians and experts in the field as well as conducting training workshops and meetings for an information exchange on early warnings.
Egeland announced an invitation extended to Cuban experts to take part in the UN System for the creation of groups charged with coordinating and providing technical consultancy to Caribbean countries.
http://www.ain.cubaweb.cu/idioma/ingles/2005/jun1comfirman-liderazgo.htm
