Speeches

Remarks by Ambassador Cesar Cabrera
to the IOC-USGS Training Course on Seismology and Tsunami Warnings

Friday, January 18, 2008
Mauritius Meteorological Services, Vacoas

Mr. Boodhoo, Director of the Meteorological Services, Dr. Kong, Dr. Mooney, distinguished students, ladies and gentlemen:

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak with you this morning.  I understand you have all been here for a week to participate in training for tsunami preparedness and seismology.  I am so pleased that the U.S. Government has been able to provide experts to assist you in meeting your training goals.

It’s a pleasure to be here today to have the opportunity to express the U.S. Government’s support of your efforts to strengthen your initiatives in earthquake monitoring, tsunami monitoring and warning, and in preparing for the next tsunami. These programs are important to the security and well-being of the thousands of people who live on your Indian Ocean nation, as well as others in the region. 

I am from Puerto Rico, also an island, where we also have a tsunami hazard and many of my colleagues have also been working to build an end-to end tsunami early warning system.  I have also seen first hand the devastating effects of hurricanes and other natural disasters.  At the same time, I am fully aware of the importance and positive impact that preparedness programs will have in mitigating the negative impacts of natural disasters.

I am impressed to learn about the progress you have all made in establishing prevention measures that help to protect the lives and livelihoods in communities across the country.  I have learned from your trainers that you have had extensive discussions over the past week on tsunamis and in seismology and am sure that you have made great progress during the training.

The 2004 tsunami was a global tragedy that struck the coastlines of 22 countries, including Mauritius, and citizens from over 50 nations worldwide were killed. With tremendous speed, the tsunami-affected countries, the international community, and the public set to work on the recovery. By the end of January 2005, global pledges of aid surpassed $7 billion, more than any disaster in history. A small, but highly critical, part of that aid, of course, was the international effort to develop tsunami warning capabilities in the region under the leadership of UNESCO IOC.   The U.S. Government is a proud supporter of this initiative and, in the spirit of continued collaboration, will continue to support efforts around the globe in a variety of ways. 

Specifically, in Mauritius, we look forward to continuing to bring U.S. experts to Mauritius to provide more training and support in the context of disaster preparedness and management.

In closing, I look forward to our future collaboration to continue to safeguard the communities we have worked together to protect. 

I understand you will be receiving diplomas this afternoon and am sorry I will be unable to attend the closing ceremony of this important training.  I would like to offer congratulations to each of you for working to make Mauritius, and the region, a safer place.

Thank you.