sothatitisdifficult forUNDROtorespond effectively andpromptly torequests fromGovernments ortoensurethattechnical co-operation programmes canbe supported bythenecessary information. Theneedtodealwiththisproblem isone ofthemaingoalsoftheDecade. 37.36 Although thedisaster management community worldwideissmall,itishighly specialized anddispersed. Communications andthetransfer ofinformation and knowledge between itsmembers maybenon-existent, slow,uncertain andcostly. Theremayalsobeduplication ofprogrammes, ignorance inoneplaceofsuccessful initiatives inanother, inclUding alackofknowledge ofthetechnical assistance andawareness-raising activities ofUNDRO. 37.37Takingintothoseproblems andthegoalsoftheDecade, theobjective ofthe subprogramme istoenhance thecapabilities ofUNDROtoidentify, collect, analyse anddisseminate information thatistimely, accurate anduseful todisaster managers, topOlicy anddecision-makers concerned withdisaster management and,to alimited extent, tothegeneral public. Thisisexpected, morespecifically, to havethefollowing results: (a)Tofacilitate action andco-ordination between alltheactors involved in disaster relief andmitigation operations andactivities: (b)Toreducetoaminimum waste,duplication andtheincidence ofunmet needsintheinternational reliefprovided inadisaster situation: (c)Tocarryoutmeaningful technical co-operation projects andtoprovide soundadvice onrelative degrees ofdisaster proneness andmeasures tobetakenin consequence: -10- Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library(d)Toallowforfruitful transfer ofknowledge andtechnology ondisaster .gement policies, techniques, practices andtechnical tools; (e)Toserveasreliable sources andpoints ofreferral onspecialized rtise, resources, equipment, institutions, national andinternational .cials, legislation andplans. Course ofactionoftheSecretariat 18Underthissubprogramme, UNDROwillprovide technical support for )rogrammes 1and2.Inaddition toworking closely withthesecretariat ofthe ~de,UNDROwillundertake thefollowing activities: (a)Introduction ofneworexisting communications technologies thatwill ridereal-time ornearreal-time identification ofneeds,contributions and lvities undertaken between multiple pointsinternationally. Inthiscontext, content, facilities andmembership oftheUnited Nations International ,gency Network willbefurther developed sothatagreater proportion ofthe istermanagement community canexchange information moreeasily andeconomically 19thatmedium: (b)Maintenance ofupdated registers ofdisaster management training titutions, national reliefofficials, disaster casehistories andstockpile entories, andestablishment ofregisters ofsuchspecializations asdonor ertise, andsearch andrescue teams: (c)Development oftheUNDROreference library andofitscapacity to twork" effectively withsimilar entities worldwide: (d)Provision ofassistance todisaster-prone developing countries in rading dataandinformation management mechanisms thatmustbeinplacepriorto isaster asanaidtonational andinternational disaster reliefefforts: (e)Publication ofinformation manuals and"UNDRO News"andproduction of eofilmsandmessages: (f)Development ofdatabases toinclude historical dataandcountry disaster .agement profiles. ,PROGRAMME 4.SPECIAL EMERGENCY PROGRAMMES Objectives 39Special emergencies bytheirnature areveryunpredictable, thusthe rislative authority forthesubprogramme stemsfromspecific resolutioris ofthe leralAssembly inresponse toeac~critical situation. Inthepastdecade, the :embly hascalled forspecial emergency programmes ofvarious complexities andin 'ourofasubstantial number ofcountries inAfrica. ,40Complex emergency situations areusually brought totheattention ofthe leralAssembly andtheSecretary-General bytheGovernment concerned, insome