A/RES/56/195 Reiterating that natural disasters damage the social and economic infrastructure of all countries, although the long-term consequences of natural disasters are especially severe for developing countries and hamper their sustainable development, Welcoming the emphasis placed on natural disaster reduction in the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001–2010, adopted by the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held at Brussels from 14 to 20 May 2001, 4 Recognizing that disaster reduction should be regarded as an important function of the United Nations and should receive continued attention, Stressing the need for the international community to demonstrate the firm political determination required to utilize scientific and technical knowledge to reduce vulnerability to natural disasters and environmental hazards, taking into account the particular needs of developing countries, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction; 5 2. Expresses its deep concern at the increasing number and scale of natural disasters, which have resulted in massive loss of life and long-term negative social, economic and environmental consequences for vulnerable societies throughout the world, in particular in developing countries; 3. Reaffirms that the Inter-Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction should perform the functions as indicated in the report of the Secretary-General, in particular those of serving as a main forum within the United Nations system for devising strategies and policies for disaster reduction and ensuring complementarity of action by agencies involved in disaster reduction, mitigation and preparedness, decides to review the activities of the Task Force in 2003, and decides also that the inter-agency secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction should develop collaborative links with appropriate regional disaster reduction organizations; 4. Decides that the Task Force should be modified in order to provide for the increased participation and continued membership of regional intergovernmental organizations and key United Nations agencies; 5. Recognizes that the framework for action for the implementation of the Strategy, 6 as endorsed by the Task Force, constitutes the basic guide for the implementation of the Strategy, and that the framework shall be periodically reviewed, according to the evolving needs in the field of natural disaster reduction, and urges all relevant bodies within the United Nations system to cooperate fully within the context of the framework; 6. Stresses that the inter-agency secretariat for the Strategy should be consolidated and enhanced to perform its functions effectively, in particular to serve as the focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster-reduction activities of the _______________ 4 A/CONF.191/11. A/56/68-E/2001/63 and Corr.1. 6 Ibid., para. 14; see also www.unisdr.org. 5 2