text: othercomponent oftheprogramme dealing withspecial emergency programmes in Africawillbeimplemented bytheUnitforSpecial Emergency Programmes inthe Department forSpecial Political Questions, Regional Co-operation, Decolonization andTrusteeship. 37.11 Theactivities tobecarried outbyUNDRO maybesummarized asfollows: -3- Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library(a)Regarding disaster relief co-ordination, UNDROwillcontinue toassist theGovernment ofastricken country, uponitsrequest, inproviding anappropriate national response, inmobilizing andco-ordinating international reliefefforts and byserving asaclearing houseforrelated activities andinformation. Inmost cases, UNDROlaunches, onbehalf oftheSecretary-General, aninternational appeal forassistance. Activities include on-site assessment ofdamage andneeds,if necessary bymulti-agency assessment missions, aswellasprovision oftimely and re11ab1e information onrelief requirements andavailable assistance. Incarrying outitsco-ordinating role, UNDROwillaimatsupporting, stimulating andorienting .thereliefactivities ofUnited Nations organizations directly concerned and eliciting thegreatest possible co-operation fromdonoragencies andvoluntary organizations. Everyeffortwillbemadetoavoidduplication ofefforts or provision ofinadequate assistance; (b)Indisaster mitigation (preparedness andprevention), theroleofUNDRO is,toalargeextent, promotional andadvisory, fullytakingintoaccount the expertise andfacilities available within theUnited Nations system andinthe academic andresearch fields. However, recent trends suchasrecognition ofthe benefits ofrelated strategies, asexpressed intheproclamation oftheDecade, haveledtoanewemphasis onthisareaofUNDROactivities. Incloseco-operation withtheDecadesecretariat, andbenefiting fromtheincreasing support ofMember States,itisenvisaged thatthedisaster mitigation activities ofUNDROwillbe intensified during theplanperiod. Inparticular, UNDROwillincrease its assistance toGovernments indevising andimplementing comprehensive disaster mitigation programmes, whichshould beclosely linkedtonational development plans. Similarly, UNDROwillemphasize theinclusion ofdisaster mitigation measures indevelopment projects, whereapplicable. 37.12 Theimplementation ofspecial emergency programmes dealing withcomplex emergencies inAfrica mayrequire attimestheestablishment ofspecial institutional arrangements, suchastheOffice forEmergency Operations inAfrica. Inmostcases, however, theyareco-ordinated through theinter-agency African Emergency TaskForce, whosemembers represent thoseagencies whichareextensively involved inthevarious emergency situations inAfrica. Usually, thestrategy involves thefollowing activities: anappeal bytheSecretary-General tothedonor community fortheprovision ofemergency assistance; thedispatch ofan inter-agency mission fortheassessment ofspecific andpriority needsinthe affected country; theprovision ofadvisory services totheauthorities ofthe country, uponrequest; thepreparation ofanappeal document onthebasisofthe inter-agency assessment mission; reporting totheGeneral Assembly andtodonor countries, intergovernmental andnon-governmental organizations; periodic meetings withdonorGovernments andnon-governmental organizations; andholding regular inter-agency meetings inordertoexchange information andtoreview thoseproblems andissues whichneedtobeaddressed inordertoimprove co-ordination ofthe emergency assistance workoftheorganizations concerned. Co-ordination addresses, inparticular, theissuesofagreed assessments ofneedsinaffected countries, harmonization ofsystem-wide policies incomplex emergency operations, forecasting potential emergency situations, planning preparedness measures, andexchanging information onpledges andcontributions.
analysis: The text appears to be discussing the United Nations' role in responding to natural disasters and complex emergencies, particularly in Africa. The activities mentioned, such as disaster relief coordination, mitigation, and preparedness, suggest a focus on humanitarian aid and relief. Additionally, the text mentions the importance of co-ordination with other organizations and stakeholders, which is a key aspect of humanitarian response.