Ninth Meeting of HELP

Friday, 19 May 2017,
Chengdu, People’s Republic of China

The Ninth Meeting of the High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP) was held on 19 May 2017 at the Sichuan University in Chengdu, People’s Republic of China. Sichuan University was the host of the meeting. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Han, Seung-soo, Chair of HELP. It was attended by about 70 participants from HELP member organizations representing national governments, international organizations, civil society and private sector.

9:00-10:00           Opening

  • Opening Remarks by Dr. Han, Seung-soo, Chair of HELP, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Water
  • Welcome Remarks by Prof. Xie Heping, President of Sichuan University
  • Remarks by Representative of the Government of China
  • Remarks by H.E. Melanie Schultz van Haegen, Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Netherlands
  • Remarks by H.E. Dr. Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Public Works and Housing, Indonesia
  • Remarks by H.E. Dr. Masafumi Mori, Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan
  • Remarks by Dr. Bambang Susantono, Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development, Asian Development Bank


10:00-10:30         Tea Break and Photo Session

10:30-12:30         Plenary Discussion

Segment 1:   HELP Action Strategy II

  • Key Presentation by Prof. Naoyuki Yoshino, Dean, the Asian Development Bank Institute
  • Key Presentation by Representative of the Government of the Netherlands


Segment 2:   Water and Disasters in UN Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”, DRR Sendai Process, and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

  • Briefing by Dr. Masahiko Murase, Principal Management and Programme Analyst, Division for Sustainable Development, UNDESA


Segment 3:   Dialogue with HLPW in the context of HLPW Action Plan, and The Third UN Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters

12:30-13:30         Lunch

13:30-14:30         Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 1: “HELP Action on COP 23 and Climate Change Process”, Chaired by H.E. Ms. Melanie Schultz van Haegen, Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Netherlands

Breakout Session 2: “Financing and Investing in Water and Disasters”, Chaired by H.E Dr. Masafumi Mori, Vice Minister for Engineering Affairs, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan

  • Presentation by Ms. Naho Shibuya, Disaster Risk Management Specialist, The World Bank


14:45-15:45         Breakout Sessions (continued)

Breakout Session 3: “Flagship Documents of HELP”, Chaired by Dr. Jerome Delli Priscoli, Chair, Global Water Partnership Technical Committee

  • Presentation by Dr. Jerome Delli Priscoli


Breakout Session 4: “Establishing Research/University Alliance on Water and Disasters”, Co-chaired by Prof. Toshio Koike, Director, International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM), Japan, and Dr. Gretchen Kalonji, Dean of the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University

15:45-16:00         Tea Break

16:00-17:30         Plenary Discussion

  • Report by Breakout Session Chairs
  • Discussion and Decision on the four Breakout Session Subjects
  • Collaboration between HELP and HLPW
  • Upcoming events and roles of contribution by HELP
  • HELP Strategy 2017-2020


17:30-17:40         Other Matters including the next meeting

17:40-17:45         Closing of the HELP Meeting

  • Closing Remarks by Dr. Han Seung-soo


19:00-                 Dinner (Chengdu Huangcheng Laoma (Hotpot))
  Hosted by Sichuan University and the State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering

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