A/RES/49/22 Page 2 Recognizing the close interrelationship between disaster reduction and sustainable development, which was already recognized at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and taken into account in Agenda 21, 1/ Having considered the Yokohama Message 2/ and the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World: Guidelines for Natural Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and Mitigation, 3/ in particular its Plan of Action, as adopted by the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction, held at Yokohama, Japan, from 23 to 27 May 1994, and the recommendations and reports of the Main Committee 4/ and the Technical Committees 5/ of the Conference, Having also considered the mid-term review of the implementation of the International Framework of Action for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction 6/ and recommendations made by the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1994 for the purpose of providing guidance for the continuing implementation of the Decade, 7/ Convinced that each country bears the primary responsibility for protecting its people, infrastructure and other national assets from the impact of natural disasters and for taking steps to reduce the vulnerability of populations in areas at risk from natural hazards, Noting that natural disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness measures can reduce the need for disaster response and contribute to improved levels of safety and that they are essential elements of integrated disaster management programmes, Noting also that the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World calls for promoting and strengthening subregional, regional and international cooperation in activities to reduce natural and other related disasters through prevention, mitigation and preparedness measures, ____________ 1/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992 (A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (Vol. I and Vol. I/Corr.1, Vol. II, Vol. III and Vol. III/Corr.1)) (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex II. 2/ See A/CONF.172/9, chap I, annex II. 3/ Ibid., chap. I, annex I. 4/ Ibid., chap. IV. 5/ Ibid., chap. V. 6/ Resolution 44/236, annex. 7/ Economic and Social Council resolution 1994/31. /...