The Associated Programme on Flood Management
(APFM) has developed and advocated the Integrated Flood Management
(IFM) approach since 2001 with the aim of minimizing losses
of live from flooding and maximizing the net-benefits from floodplains
in the wider context of Integrated Water Resources Management.
The governing bodies of the APFM, have now taken the decision
to create a HelpDesk for Integrated Flood Management
This HelpDesk is a facility that will provide
guidance on flood management policy, strategy, and institutional
development related to flood issues to countries that want to
adopt an integrated approach to flood management (IFM) issues.
The IFM approach, developed at the turn of the Millennium, aims
at balancing development needs and flood risks in river basins
within the overall context of Integrated Water Resources Management.
The HelpDesk is hosted by the World Meteorological
Organization and is based on its philosophy of working together
in Weather, Climate and Water issues. Accordingly the IFM HelpDesk
functions through a decentralized network of technical partner
institutions that form the "HelpDesk Support Base". The group
met in Geneva, Switzerland from 13-14 November 2008 with the
following objectives:
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Provide a forum for interested parties to understand the
HelpDesk mechanism and institutional arrangement foreseen
for its operation in order to be able to refine those arrangements
and to define their role within the IFM HelpDesk |
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Provide opportunity to partners to get formally involved
as a HelpDesk support base member, i.e. conclude institutional
arrangements between the HelpDesk Support base partners
and WMO |
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Create momentum and an action plan for the launch of the
HelpDesk in 2009. |
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