International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters, from relief to development A/RES/74/115 needs and capacities of persons in vulnerable situations, and that action by humanitarian and development actors in urban areas needs to recognize the complexity of cities and build urban resilience, with improved urban expertise and capacities within organizations, while building on the capabilities, opportunities and potential new partnerships present in cities and other human settlements, Reaffirming the adoption of the outcome document entitled “New Urban Agenda” at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), held in Quito from 17 to 20 October 2016, 8 and in this regard noting the commitments therein undertaken by Member States regarding affected populations in urban areas, and noting also the importance of implementing policies to ensure more effective disaster risk reduction, including preparedness, and disaster risk management, Recognizing that local communities are the first responders in most disasters, underlining the critical role played by in-country capacities in disaster risk reduction, including preparedness, and capacity-building for community resilience, as well as response and recovery, and acknowledging the need to support the efforts of Member States to develop and enhance national and local capacities which are fundamental to improving the overall delivery of humanitarian assistance, Stressing the need for all relevant actors involved in international responses to natural disasters to ensure that such responses are tailored to context, make use of appropriate tools and support local systems, including by building on local expertise and capacities, Recognizing the adverse effects of climate change as contributors to environmental degradation and extreme weather events, which may, in certain instances, among other factors, contribute to disaster-induced human mobility, Recognizing also the high numbers of persons affected by natural disasters, including in this respect displaced persons, Reaffirming the importance of international cooperation in support of the efforts of the affected States in dealing with natural disasters in all their phase s, in particular in preparedness, response and the early recovery phase, and of strengthening the response capacity of countries affected by disaster, Recognizing the importance of sharing and making use of effective practices as part of transboundary cooperation in preparation for cross-border disaster situations, such as simulation exercises or preparedness or evacuation drills, Recognizing also that scientific advancements can contribute to the effective forecasting of extreme weather events, which allows for a more accurate prediction and early warning of such events, leading to early action, Taking note of the launch of the Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure, the Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership, the Climate Risk and Early Warni ng Systems (CREWS) initiative, and the Year of Action launched by the Global Commission on Adaptation that will culminate in the 2020 Climate Adaptation Summit, Recognizing the progress made by the United Nations Platform for Space -based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) in its mission, Noting the progress made by and the role of the Global Framework for Climate Services in developing and providing science-based climate information and prediction for climate risk management and for adaptation to climate variability and __________________ 8 4/16 Resolution 71/256, annex. 19-22032