UNITAR and the Geneva-based LALIVE law firm conducted a new e-learning course on “Introduction to Investment Arbitration” from March 14 to April 15, 2011.

4-5 May 2011, Niamey, Republic of Niger - A two-day workshop to launch enabling activities for national implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) was held in Niamey, Republic of Niger from 4 to 5 May 2011.

UNOSAT has long embraced public engagement to improve satellite applications and mapping technology. Already in 2006, UNOSAT, CERN and the University of Geneva joined hands to explore the potential of participatory mapping using CERN’s experiences on collaborative computing and collaborative thinking in particle physics. In July 2006 the first crowdsourcing experiment goes public with the name of Africa@Home.

4-6 May 2011, Estoril, Portugal - This year’s Estoril debate that traditionally convenes global thinkers to discuss globalization challenges took place on 4-6 May 2011.

10-12 May 2011, Bergen, Norway. During the 2011 GDACS Stakeholders Meeting, a crowd-sourcing application for geo-tagged photos was released to the disaster management and early responders community.

UNOSAT is increasingly active in both crowdsourcing and geo-tagging.

12-13 May 2011, Geneva, Switzerland - UNITAR, the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Professional Standards Committee and the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) held a meeting in Geneva to plan the development and implementation of a new programme on risk-based approach to financial audit.

The International Law Programme is implementing the Spanish version of its series of e-courses on International Environmental Law (IEL) due to the high demand from Latin American Countries for this kind of training.

May 2011, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.   The Port Harcourt project office (PHPO) has completed move to its new office facility located on 146 C/146 B Lord Ogboma Drive Off Abacha Road, GRA Phase 3 Port Harcourt. This facility was donated by Rivers State Government and will host over 12 UN Agencies.

The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction was established in 2007 as a biennial forum for information exchange, discussion of latest development and knowledge and partnership building across sectors, with the goal to improve implementation of disaster risk reduction through better communication and coordination amongst stakeholders, under the ausipces of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR).