Hazards Are Created by Nature, Disasters Are Man-Made!

The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG), an independent group of the World Bank, has recently published a report on "Hazards of Nature, Risks to Development".  The report lists the strategies and policies recommended for mitigating the impact of natural disasters based on the World Bank's experience in projects that it finances in this area.   The report was jointly launched in Turkey on May 18, 2006 at the Hilton Hotel by IEG and TEPAV | EPRI, the Economic Policy Research Institute of Turkey.

The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey Chairman M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu made the opening speech of the conference, followed by IEG Director Ajay Chhibber's presentation on the main findings of the report. The event was concluded with a panel discussion with TEPAV | EPRI Director Güven Sak moderating. Speakers were; Deputy Undersecretary of Treasury Burhanettin Aktaş, Director of General Directorate of Disaster Affairs Mustafa Taymaz, Vice President of National Earthquake Council Oktay Ergünay, Head of Department of State Planning Organization's Social and Physical Intrastructure Department Niyazi İlter and ISMEP (Istanbul Seismic Risk Mitigation and Emergency Preparedness Project) Director Kazım Gökhan Elgin.