El Salvador

The UN office for disaster risk reduction, UNISDR, and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability have completed a four-month pilot test of the Local Government Self-Assessment Tool (LG-SAT) designed to help disaster risk reduction efforts in over 1,000 cities and local governments that have signed up to UNISDR's global "Making Cities Resilient" Campaign. LG-SAT has been made possible with funding from the World Bank's Global Facility for Disaster Risk Reduction and the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid branch, ECHO.

This monthly newsletter aims to highlight UNISDR activities around the world. This issue reports on: (i) the new global risk model planned by UNISDR and partners; (ii) Myanmar commitment to the Hyogo Framework for Action; (iii) Turkish quake highlighting

Eighteen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have agreed to tighten up on school safety while also integrating disaster risk reduction into the school curriculum, following high-level talks on education in Panama City.

As the number of people in Central America affected by tropical depression 12-E rises to 1.9 million, the UN has launched its second flash appeal in two days and is now asking for US$14.3 million to assist Nicaragua which is being devastated by heavy rainfall and floods.

The UN has issued a flash appeal for US$15.7 million to provide emergency assistance to El Salvador which has now been pounded by heavy rains and floods since 10 October.

After announcing last week that Geneva would take part in the United Nations "Making Cities Resilient" campaign, Pierre Maudet, the incoming Mayor of Geneva as of 1 June, said the city would share experiences with other local governments seeking to manage risk.

Municipalities and local Governments of El Salvador are focusing on reducing disaster risk as part of the 2010-2011 World Disaster Reduction campaign - Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready Campaign.

This collection of good practices shows how building the capacity of local institutions is key to sustaining disaster risk reduction, and demonstrates the immediate impact of local and national political commitments.

This issue includes:

Editorial -

Voices & Ideas:
- Chosica: Prevention Bears Fruit
- Crisis or Mitigation?: The role of relationships between institutions and communities in disaster recovery assistance
- Contingency plans for coping with disasters: A

This guidance note shares 'live lessons' learned - told through first-person stories - that contribute to disaster preparedness, mitigation, and a recovery that builds back better.