A/RES/58/215 especially severe in developing countries and hamper their achievement of sustainable development, Stressing that national authorities need to undertake disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts, in particular through the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, so as to enhance the resilience of populations to disasters and reduce the risks to them, their livelihoods, the social and economic infrastructure and environmental resources, Recalling that the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction provides a framework for collaboration on the development of methodologies to systematically characterize, measure, assess and respond to natural disasters, including weatherrelated disasters, hazards and vulnerabilities, Taking into account the fact that extreme weather events and associated natural disasters and their reduction must be dealt with in a coherent manner, Noting the need for international cooperation to increase the capacity of countries to respond to the negative impacts of all natural hazards, including extreme weather events and associated natural disasters, particularly in developing countries, Emphasizing the importance of raising awareness among developing countries of the capacities existing at the national, regional and international levels that could be deployed to assist them, Taking note of the outcome of the Second International Conference on Early Warning, held in Bonn, Germany, from 16 to 18 October 2003, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, 3 in particular the section on the negative impacts of extreme weather events and associated natural disasters on vulnerable countries, in particular developing countries, as requested by the Assembly in its decision 57/547; Urges the international community to continue to address ways and 2. means, including through cooperation and technical assistance, to reduce the adverse effects of natural disasters, including those caused by extreme weather events, in particular in vulnerable developing countries, through the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, and encourages the InterAgency Task Force for Disaster Reduction to continue its work in this regard; Encourages Governments to establish effective national platforms or 3. focal points for disaster reduction, and to strengthen them where they already exist; 4. Also encourages Governments, in cooperation with the United Nations system and other stakeholders, to strengthen capacity-building in the most vulnerable regions, to enable them to address the socio-economic factors that increase vulnerability, and encourages the international community to provide effective assistance to developing countries in this regard; Encourages the Inter-Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction to 5. enhance the coordination on the promotion of disaster reduction as well as to make available to the relevant United Nations entities information on options for natural _______________ 3 2 A/58/277.