Havana, Cuba.- The Chief of the General Staff of the Civil Defense in Cuba, Ramon Pardo Guerra, held a meeting with the General Secretary of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Elhadj As Sy.

Diplomatic sources reported today that the parties talked about existing cooperation and the prospects for expanding it, with a view to disaster risk reduction in Cuba.

According to a statement, the meeting evoked the visit of As Sy to the island where he had the opportunity to know about the country’s experience in dealing with weather events and protection of citizens’ lives.

The visitor was able to see specifically the country’s recovery and efforts after the Hurricane Irma, as well as to appreciate the important contribution of the International Federation to support Cuba’s response to that natural disaster.

Pardo Guerra and As Sy talked at the headquarters of the World Meteorological Organization, where the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction has been held since Monday.

It is a biennial forum established by the United Nations General Assembly to review progress, share knowledge and discuss the latest advances and trends in disaster risk reduction.