A/RES/53/185 Page 2 Stressing that any credible strategy for the reduction of the natural disaster effects of future El Niño occurrences must be based on effective dialogue and cooperation between the scientific and technological areas of the United Nations system and its operational responsibilities in the fields of disaster management, humanitarian assistance, sustainable development, technical cooperation and capacity-building, including data-collection, monitoring and early warning systems, at all levels, 1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General, 1 and endorses the recommendations and conclusions contained therein; 2. Expresses its appreciation for the cooperation provided by the United Nations system to the countries affected in their efforts to reduce the impact of the El Niño phenomenon and for the valuable cooperation given by the international community; 3. Takes note with satisfaction of the outcome of the International Conference on Early Warning Systems for the Reduction of Natural Disasters convened, within the framework of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, at Potsdam, Germany, from 7 to 11 September 1998; 4. Expresses its satisfaction at the organization of the first Intergovernmental Meeting of Experts on El Niño, held at Guayaquil, Ecuador, from 9 to 13 November 1998, in accordance with paragraph 10 of its resolution 52/200; 5. Decides that the report on the outcome of that Meeting will be considered under appropriate agenda items at the seventh session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, at the substantive session of 1999 of the Economic and Social Council and at the special session of the General Assembly for the in-depth assessment and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;2 6. Also decides to consider the La Niña phenomenon in the context of the implementation of its resolution 52/200; 7. Calls for the continued and full implementation of its resolution 52/200; 8. Welcomes the convening, in 1999, of an intergovernmental meeting of experts on the El Niño phenomenon, to be held at Lima, which will have a comprehensive approach, encompassing scientific, technical, social and political issues, and a broad participation of intergovernmental experts and policy decision makers; 9. Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Administrative Committee on Coordination, to submit recommendations to the General Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1999, on how the United Nations system can deal with natural disaster reduction after the conclusion of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction in 1999, taking 2 Report of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, Bridgetown, Barbados, 25 April–6 May 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.94.I.18 and corrigenda), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II. /...