The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance responded to a record total of 86 declared disasters in FY 1998. The disasters and the USG responses are summarized in the case reports that follow. The article that follows describes the international efforts to bring about the suc- cessful integration of mitigation and relief activities in preparing for a natural disaster. Humanitarian inter- ventions are crucial for saving lives and eliminating human suffering but issues of access and safety are of growing concern. FY 1998 relief operations was the increased focus on the importance of an appropriate humanitarian response as the relationship between the effects of disasters on political stability became increasingly clear.
Additional demands lie ahead.
Expectations and the needs are great. We are confident that we will be prepared to respond. Visit our contact page to find the appropriate resource.