Speech by the Prince of Orange, Chair of UNSGAB, World Water Day 2011, “Water and Disaster”

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Words don't come easily to express the horror and pain we felt when the earthquake and Tsunami struck Japan in such a dramatic way just ten days ago. UNSGAB has its roots in Japan and all members have a strong personal bond with the country. Therefore this tragedy really hit home for our Board. Oda-san, on behalf of all of us at UNSGAB, and of course also on a personal basis, I would like to express our deepest condolences and our strongest best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Japan has always taken a lead in the field of water and disaster and I am convinced this expertise now will benefit your country in dealing with this disaster in the most effective way. When our Board recently met with the High-Level Expert Panel on Disaster in Korea our discussion was focused on Disaster Risk Reduction - and we all know how much time and energy Japan has invested to reduce its vulnerability to earthquakes and tsunamis.

Japan is not the only country to suffer from a water-related disaster this year. Disasters have occurred in our globe, with serious flooding in South Africa, Australia, Brazil and Sri Lanka, even we are still only in the first quarter of 2011.

In Japan, we saw terrible damage, but it would have been so much worse without Japan's investment in disaster risk reduction. For example, coastal communities, especially in areas that have been hit by tsunamis in the past, are generally well prepared. Local authorities contact residents directly through warning systems set up in each home - footpaths and other escape routes leading to higher grounds tend to be clearly marked.

Some coastal towns have set up networks of sensors that can sound alarms in every place and automatically close floodgates when an earthquake strikes to prevent waves from surging up rivers. Most ports are equipped with raised platforms. These are the types of investments that must be made globally. Of course in less developed countries there is less money available - but this does not mean disaster risk reduction can be ignored.

I'm sure all of us here agree that investing in Disaster Risk Reduction in each and every country is urgent. It is however still difficult to convince decision makers to allot scarce funds to prepare for potential emergencies. Disaster risk reduction is an essential component for breaking the vicious circle of poverty and disasters. It is also a pre-requisite for achieving sustainable development. But above all, effective risk reduction investments can dramatically reduce the number of lives lost due to a natural disaster and will save the society billions of dollars.

I hope you have a productive session - these dialogues are critical for building the knowledge base and the persuasive arguments necessary to demonstrate that disaster risk reduction is not simply a luxury for rich countries, but must be a development priority globally. Oda-san, and all our Japanese friends, once again, please accept our Board's most sincere condolences for the lives lost and the damage done to your beautiful nation. I thank Japan for being a leader in this field and I also wish to recognize Japan's spirit of generosity expressed through your willingness to share painful lessons and technical expertise in a time of tragedy. This is truly commendable and I'm sure it will contribute to better preparedness in the future.

Thank you.