A global blueprint of where natural disasters are most likely to strike and how to minimise the loss of life will be unveiled in Bahrain next week.

Bahrain helped finance the UN Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction, which will be launched next Monday and Tuesday.

Bahrain, as a responsible nation, is proud to host the global event to launch the strategy aimed at saving lives in the event of national disasters, Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa told a Press conference at the ministry.

This is the first time a major UN report is being launched in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon will attend the launch at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa on Sunday.

Other guests expected include Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, GCC Secretary-General Abdulrahman Al Attiyah, Princess Haya bint Al Hussein and World Meteorological Organisation Secretary-General Michel Jarraud.

Last year, Bahrain contributed $1 million (BD378,000) in support of the report, co-ordinated by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Secretariat, said Shaikh Khalid.

'This is part of our commitment to international community and because of our belief in such a key report aimed to draw global media and political attention to the problem.'

Bahrain's contribution reflects its willingness to undertake a leading international role in disaster reduction globally, said UN resident co-ordinator and UNDP resident representative Sayed Aqa.

Bahrain's contribution provides a powerful stimulus to global efforts to reduce such risks, he added.

The report gives new evidence of where, why and how the risk of disasters is increasing globally, based on data gathered over the last 30 years, he said.

'It identifies risks, analyses causes, shows that these can be addressed and recommends the means to do so.

'It presents a 20-point plan to reduce risks and guide and inform national and international policies.'

The global launch will be followed by regional and national launches of the findings and recommendations of the report to key ISDR partners around the world, he said.

Bahrain is hosting the launch about one month before the second session of the ISDR Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction, due from June 16 to 19 in Geneva.-TradeArabia News Service