International Affairs Events Archive
January/February 2006
The Third Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands will be held in Paris, France, January 23-28.
This event seeks to review "progress achieved and obstacles faced in the implementation of international targets on oceans, coasts, and small island developing States." At the conference, Dr. Bill Brennan (OIA) will co-chair a high-level panel on the tsunami disaster. Tom Laughlin (OIA) will co-chair a workshop to solicit multi-stakeholder input for the 2nd Intergovernmental Review of the GPA. Ralph Cantral (NOS) will chair a session on capacity development for ocean and coastal management. Other representatives from NOS, NMFS, and OIA will also be in attendance. For further information about the conference, please see http://www.globaloceans.org/paris3 or contact Jennifer Winston.
NOAA's National Weather Service will hold a key meeting on Caribbean all-hazards preparedness during the week of February 13 in Miami.
Invited officials will discuss the development of a protocol for cooperation and coordination among National Meteorological Services that would provide for backups during emergency situations. Also at this meeting, NWS and OIA will detail funding that has been awarded from the Department of State's Third Border Initiative for all-hazards preparedness, and ask the officials to identify priority observational and communications components that should be pursued. The meeting also will address progress in hurricane reconstruction and an action plan for World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Regional Association IV.