OSCE meeting and field visits on disaster risk reduction in Montreux and the Valais

Officials and experts from 57 OSCE participating States are meeting to exchange experiences on effective ways to manage risks posed by environmental disasters, and to look at how they are applied in practice. The event is the 2nd Preparatory Meeting of the 22nd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum, which this year focuses on “Responding to environmental challenges with a view to promoting cooperation and security in the OSCE area”.

The discussions focus on disaster preparedness and the impact disasters can have on safety and security. Other issues include adapting to climate change and disaster risk reduction at local level, measures to reduce disaster risks at an international, cross-border and national level, and the cross-dimensional impacts of natural and man-made disasters.

On 21 May, two simultaneous field visits take place in the Valais. The first visit deals with the management of natural and technical risks in the flood plain of the River Rhone in the municipality of Monthey. The second visit showcases cross-border co-operation between Italy and Switzerland in managing disaster risks in a mountainous area along the transnational route of the Grand-Saint-Bernard.