The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs is cooperating with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to launch the 2015 World Disasters Report in the Vienna International Centre on 5 October 2015. The event will take place during the UN-declared World Space Week.

The World Disasters Report is an annual independent publication commissioned by the IFRC, contributing evidence-based research on the challenges, trends and innovations in disaster risk reduction and crisis management. The 2015 report is an important body of research, which builds on discussions at the 2015 UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, and the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. It makes a direct contribution to next year's World Humanitarian Summit where the localization of aid is one of the key thematic areas of focus.

The 2015 Report calls for greater recognition and support for local humanitarian actors. Local actors are often the most effective in conducting humanitarian operations. However, despite their critical role, they struggle to attract the funding and support they need. The 2015 World Disasters Report examines the complexities and challenges local actors face in scaling-up and sustaining their humanitarian response. The report aims at addressing some problematic questions and exploring current experience and future trends in the roles of local actors in humanitarian work. It examines the challenges of partnerships with local actors and delivering aid in insecure and inaccessible environments. The report also looks at gaps in the laws and norms concerning humanitarian relief and disaster risk management, and the fact that the current approach to humanitarian response rarely considers a crisis's specific nature and context or the capacity of national actors.

During the launch event, Mr. Mo Hamza, Editor of the World Disasters Report 2015 and Professor of Disaster Risk Management, University of Copenhagen, will introduce the report. Dr. Werner Kerschbaum, Secretary General, Austrian Red Cross, Simonetta Di Pippo, Director, Office for Outer Space Affairs, UNOOSA and Ursula Werther-Pietsch, Deputy Director Department VII.4, Austrian Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, will also offer remarks.

Coffee and cake will be served after the event.