UN-SPIDER opens Office in Bonn 29 Oct 2007

13 November 2007, 7:39pm

The newly established United Nations Platform for Spacebased Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER), which is implemented by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), has opened its first office in Bonn, Germany, on Monday, 29 October 2007.

Check out:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=24485&Cr=outer&Cr1=space.

The new office – expected to be the first of several – aims to carry out the UN Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER). Unlike other recent initiatives where space-based information is used for humanitarian and emergency response, UNSPIDER is the first to focus also on the technologies to cover all stages of disaster, including the risk reduction phase which could significantly cut the loss of lives and property.

UN-SPIDER will provide universal access to all countries and interested organizations to space-based information and services on disaster management “and will have a considerable impact on the way spacebased information is used in dealing with disasters around the world,” said Franz Baumann, Deputy Director-General of the UN Office at Vienna. The programme, established by the UN General Assembly last December, hopes to assist countries and organizations by acting as a gateway to space-based information for disaster management support and facilitate developing countries in their capacity-building and institutional strengthening efforts.

UN-SPIDER offices are also scheduled to open in Beijing and Geneva.

Check also:

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=23930.

www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/unspider/index.ht…

Geo: International