Hon Nikki Kaye
Minister of Civil Defence
21 May 2013
Minister attends global disaster forum in Geneva
Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye will attend the Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in
Geneva, Switzerland this week.
She will speak at the opening ceremony today (Tuesday 21 May).
“It is a huge honour and privilege for New Zealand to be asked to address the opening ceremony at this United Nations
event,” Ms Kaye says.
The theme for this year’s conference is “Invest Today for a Safer Tomorrow – Resilient People – Resilient Planet”. The
Global Platform is a biennial forum attended by more than 2000 representatives from member states of the United Nations,
including the United Nations’ Deputy Secretary General, heads of state and government ministers.
Ms Kaye will also deliver New Zealand’s country statement and attend an invitation-only panel discussion for global
leaders themed ‘Ahead of the Wave: Leading the Way to Resilience’.
“This is an opportunity to strengthen relationships with other countries,” Ms Kaye says.
“The Canterbury earthquakes tested our approach to disaster risk reduction. As a result we are seen to have strong
expertise in both emergency management and recovery.
“A key focus of the conference is community and volunteer involvement and the role of young people in this.
“I will be speaking about this, including the incredible Canterbury community response at a plenary session on community
resilience.
“We also know the economic impact of the Canterbury earthquakes and the importance of strong business resilience in
recovery.
“This is an area of focus for us to improve business and community resilience.
“This conference is an important opportunity for global leaders and their Governments, non-government organisations, and
technical experts to form relationships that will save lives.”
Ms Kaye also has engagements in the US and UK covering digital literacy and food safety.
ENDS