Iran: UN encourages sharing of disaster information

Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, in an interview with the Iranian Islamic Republic News Agency IRNA underscored the importance of sharing critical information on disasters. She stated that the UN favors cooperation with Iran in sharing information on crisis management as the country ranks sixth worldwide in term of being prone to natural disasters, as IRNA reported. She said that there were lot of experience available to Iran that are important to share.

IRNA elaborated: "Amos referred to her last yearˈs visit to Iran during which an agreement was signed with Iran for cooperation in disaster management and said there has been progress in implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding.

She said last year quakes were simulated and all people involved in responding to the disaster, including local government, national government, the UN agencies, communities and civil society organizations involved in the event came together. She added that the UN has a plan of action and wants to see what can be done in difficult areas, including knowledge and information sharing, quality of management of information and quality of capacity building."