Meeting of UCLG Resource Group on Disasters Response and Preparedness 22.11.2013

The 1^st meeting of the Resource Group was held in Paris on the 18^th of November 2013 to explore the modalities of work in this area and in particular the financing, mandate and requirements for implementation.

During UCLG Summit, held in Rabat in October 2013, the Executive Bureau asked the Rapporteur of the feasibility study on the establishment of a mechanism allowing local governments to respond disasters to work with a Resource Group.

The Resource Group was composed of Cités Unies France (CUF), Federation of the Canadian Municipalities (FCM), UCLG-MEWA, the Union of Municipalities of Turkey (UMT) and VNG International. The richness of exchanges and debates allowed participants to build a roadmap based on the specificities of their national context. Indeed a presentation of activities and legislation of each association led to a better understanding of the opportunities and the difficulties that a mechanism to response disasters represents.

As a new catastrophe happened in the Philippines the necessity of establishing a mechanism for more coordination in the response of local authorities to disasters. The Rapporteur of the Resource Group will draft within the following weeks a new budget which will include outputs of this meeting including the possible establishment of a dedicated office, the salary of hired staff and the creation of a specific fund allowing local authorities affected by disasters to advocate their cause.