Dear Readers,

Having been on the Editorial Committee of the Asian Disaster Management News for some years, I am happy to take on this new role as Editor. ADPC will strive to make the newsletter more responsive to your needs, to better serve its objective of being a platform for dialogue and exchange of experiences among the regional disaster management community.

This issue focuses on drought, its causes, consequences and strategies for management and mitigation. The theme assumes greater significance in view of unprecedented droughts in several Asian countries and other parts of the world, in some cases for several successive years. In this issue, experienced practitioners have contributed reports on drought management from China, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Africa.

ADPC’s Regional Consultative Committee will hold its third meeting in October in New Delhi, with a special session on drought management. This issue will also serve as a contribution to that forum.

We have introduced some changes to the visual identity of the newsletter. We hope you welcome these changes, and we look forward to your comments and contributions.

Loy Rego
ajrego@ait.ac.th

Theme for Forthcoming Issue of the Asian Disaster Management News
Disaster Reduction for Sustainable Mountain Development (Oct-Dec 2002)