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Highlights and images for 26 May 2017

2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction - From Commitment to Action

The Fifth Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) met for its last day in Cancún, Mexico, on Friday, 26 May 2017. In the morning, delegates convened in a plenary session to consider the Sendai Framework monitoring. During the session, panelists highlighted issues related to incorporation of national statistics and geo-information into local level plans; the need for countries to include disaster displacement data while implementing the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030; and the importance of integrating DRR principles in curricula to help communities create longer-term DRR and risk management plans. Shortly after the plenary, delegates broke into three parallel working sessions and discussed cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge; land use and spatial planning; and health and DRR. In the early afternoon, they reconvened in a plenary session to discuss coherence among the Paris Agreement on climate change, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Sendai Framework. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), highlighted the enormous human and economic costs related to climate change induced disasters, and stressed that integrating climate action and DRR can transform current development realities. Other panelists shared national experiences in integrating policies to address development, climate change and disaster risk; called for a greater focus on humanitarian disasters; and drew attention to actions such as dredging rivers to enhance capacity for glacial melt and prevent flooding which illustrates addressing both climate change impacts and disaster reduction. Robert Glasser, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNISDR, underlined the fundamental role of stakeholder inclusion, and called for coherence among national governments, local communities, the private sector, donor partners, and within the UN system. He underscored the importance of political will and strong leadership to ensure preparedness for multiple disasters at the national level. During the closing ceremony, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, Minister of Interior, Mexico, conveyed key actions from the Chairs’ Summary including creating and implementing strategic methodologies for information management on risks and threats; strengthening institutional coordination and collaboration, from the community level to multilateral agreements; and promoting an enabling environment for development of public private partnerships. Glasser encouraged delegates to consider DRR as a set of tools to overcome painful events, plan for the future, and step outside established silos. Kirsi Madi, Director, UNISDR, closed the meeting at 5:43 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports in English and Spanish, daily web coverage, and daily Earth Negotiations Videos (ENV) from the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. In addition, IISD Reporting Services published a summary report of the meeting in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page . Plenary - Sendai Framework Monitoring (L-R) Peter Felten, Federal Foreign Office, Germany; Rohan Richards, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Jamaica; Marcus Oxley, Executive Director, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction, UK; Robert Glasser, SRSG for DRR and Head of UNISDR; Luis Felipe Puente Espinosa, Secretaría de Gobernación, Mexico; Marc Gordon, UNISDR; Paloma Merodio Gómez, Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografía Mexico (INEGI); and Natalia Kanem, Assistant Secretary-General, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Marcus Oxley, Executive Director, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction, UK Robert Glasser, SRSG for DRR and Head of UNISDR Peter Felten, Federal Foreign Office, Germany Natalia Kanem, Assistant Secretary-General, UNFPA Rohan Richards, Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation, Jamaica Paloma Merodio Gómez, INEGI Luis Felipe Puente Espinosa, Secretaría de Gobernación, Mexico A participant asks a question to the panel Participants listen to panelists A slide from Paloma Merodio Gómez’s presentation Interpretation for hearing impaired participants Participants during the session Working Session - Health and Disaster Risk Reduction Panel speakers for the session Chadia Wannous, UNISDR Session Co-Chair Supamit Chunsuttiwat, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand Session Co-Chair Aida Zabal Laruda, Tolosa Federation of Senior Citizens Organization, the Philippines Cristina Romanelli, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity Alex Camacho, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Felipe Cruz Vega, Mexican Social Security Institute William Karesh, EcoHealth Alliance, US Tadanori Inomata, Center for International Collaborative Research Institute, Japan A participant during the session Timothy Bouley, World Bank Working Session - Cultural Heritage and Indigenous Knowledge (L-R) Todd Kuiack, Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Canada; Lara Steil, Brazilian National Center for Prevention and Combat of Forest Fires, PREVFOGO; Gianluca Silvestrini, Executive Secretary, EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement, Council of Europe; Session Co-Chair Ana Lucy Bengochea, Community Leader, Garifuna, Honduras; Session Co-Chair Kiren Rijiju, State Minister for Home Affairs, India; Nuria Sanz, UNESCO, Mexico; and Simon Lambert, Indigenous Maori, University of Saskatchewan Gianluca Silvestrini, Executive Secretary, EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement, Council of Europe Nuria Sanz, UNESCO, Mexico A participant asks a question to the panel Simon Lambert, Indigenous Maori, University of Saskatchewan Participants during the session Working Session - Promoting Land Use and Spatial Planning for DRR (L-R) Roberto Moris, National Research Center for Integrated Natural Disasters Management, Chile; Miho Ohara, International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM), Japan; Session Co-Chair Rolando Ocampo Alcántar, Mexican National Institute of Statistic and Geography (INEGI); Session Co-Chair Dan Lewis, UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT); and Ebru Gencer, Executive Director, Center for Urban Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience (CUDRR+R) Session Co-Chair Dan Lewis, UN-HABITAT Roberto Moris, National Research Center for Integrated Natural Disasters Management, Chile Ebru Gencer, Executive Director, CUDRR+R Session Co-Chair Rolando Ocampo Alcántar, INEGI Participants listen to panelists Plenary - Coherence between the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (L-R) Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany; Patricia Espinosa, Executive Director, UNFCCC; Robert Glasser, SRSG and Head of UNISDR; Session Co-Chair Manuel Bessler, Head of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit, Switzerland; Session Co-Chair Willem Rampangilei, Minister, National Disaster Management Authority, Indonesia; Session Co-Chair Madeleine Redfern, Mayor of Iqaluit, Canada; Meleti Bainimarama, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Fiji; and Saber Chowdhury, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Bangladesh Session Co-Chair Manuel Bessler, Head of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit, Switzerland Session Co-Chair Madeleine Redfern, Mayor of Iqaluit, Canada Patricia Espinosa, Executive Director, UNFCCC Meleti Bainimarama, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Fiji Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany Saber Chowdhury, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Bangladesh Participants during the session Closing Ceremony A view of the room while participants watch a video with highlights from the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Robert Glasser, SRSG for DRR and Head of UNISDR Manuel Bessler, Vice-Director, Delegate for Humanitarian Aid, Switzerland Moderator Kirsi Madi, UNISDR Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, Minister of Interior, Mexico Participants listen to a mariachi band the end of the meeting Around the Venue Parallel events took place at the Ignite stage The media at the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
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Highlights and images for 25 May 2017

2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction - From Commitment to Action

The Fifth Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) met for a second day in Cancún, Mexico on Thursday, 25 May 2017. In the morning, delegates convened in a plenary session to consider national and local DRR strategies. They heard from local and national level experts and practitioners, with many delegates calling: to prioritize the role of women in reducing disaster risk; to ensure a people-centered approach to the design of DRR strategies rather than an infrastructure-centered one; and for greater inclusivity in the creation of local and national DRR strategies. Shortly after the plenary, delegates broke into three parallel working sessions and discussed science and technology, local authorities and community resilience. In the afternoon, they met in a plenary session under the banner “Reducing Vulnerability of Countries in Special Situations,” with panelists calling for implementing the Sendai Framework whilst taking advantage of opportunities presented by the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. They also shared experiences from least developed and landlocked countries in recovery and reconstruction efforts; stressed the need for education and public awareness in Small Island Developing States to ensure better disaster preparedness; and highlighted the importance of national disaster risk frameworks to meet the goals set out in the Sendai Framework. Thereafter, delegates convened in three parallel working sessions on DRR governance, ecosystem protection, management and resilient agriculture, and inclusive and people-centered DRR. Side events were held over the lunch break. In the evening, delegates attended the Sasakawa Award Ceremony, after which they were treated to a reception hosted by the state of Quintana Roo. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports in English and Spanish, daily web coverage, and daily Earth Negotiations Videos (ENV) from the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. In addition, IISD Reporting Services published a summary report of the meeting in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page . Plenary - National and Local DRR Strategies Pave the Way for Action by All (L-R) Kathy Oldham, Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, UK; Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management; Ricardo Mena, UNISDR; Session Co-Chair Joaquín Roa, Minister for National Emergencies, Paraguay; Session Moderator Shri Kiren Rijiju, State Minister, India; Session Co-Chair Denisse Ugalde Alegría, Mayor of Tlalnepantla, Mexico; and Melchior Mataki, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Solomon Islands Session Co-Chair Denisse Ugalde Alegría, Mayor of Tlalnepantla, Mexico Session Co-Chair Joaquín Roa, Minister for National Emergencies, Paraguay Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Melchior Mataki, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Solomon Islands Kathy Oldham, Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, UK Session Moderator Shri Kiren Rijiju, State Minister, India Participants share experiences and ask the panelists questions Working Session - Accelerating Efforts in Building Community Resilience to Disasters (L-R) Vicente Raimundo Núñez-Flores, European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO); Iván Andrey Brenes, President, National Commission for Prevention of Risks and Emergency Response, Costa Rica; Anne Akwango, Development Network of Voluntary Indigenous Associations (DENIVA), Uganda; Session Co-Chair Win Myat Aye, Minister of Social Welfare, Myanmar; Session Co-Chair Elhadj As Sy, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; Mayra Bermúdez, Mesa Nacional, Incidencia de Gestión del Riesgo, Honduras; and Kiyoshi Murakami, Senior Executive Advisor, City of Rikuzentakata, Japan Session Co-Chair Win Myat Aye, Minister of Social Welfare, Myanmar Session Co-Chair Elhadj As Sy, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Anne Akwango, DENIVA, Uganda Mayra Bermúdez, Mesa Nacional, Incidencia de Gestión del Riesgo, Honduras Working Session - Achieving the Sendai Framework and SDG’s Target at Local Level (L-R) Violeta Seva, Makati, the Philippines; Adam Banaszak, Rapporteur Committee of the Regions and Mayor of Kujawskopomorskie, Poland; Yuri Rafael Della Giustina, Director of Risk Management and Urban Rehabilitation, Ministry of Cities, Brazil; Session Co-Chair Riadh Mouakhar, Ministry of Local Affairs and Environment, Government of Tunisia; Session Co-Chair Relinda Sosa Pérez, President, National Confederation of Women Organised for Life and Integrated Development (CONAMOVIDI); Juan Ernesto Zapata Silva, Secretary of Security and Governance, Municipality of Quito, Ecuador; and Matthew Lynch, Vice President, Global Partnerships & Initiatives, World Council on City Data Violeta Seva, Makati, the Philippines Relinda Sosa Pérez, President, CONAMOVIDI Yuri Rafael Della Giustina, Director of Risk Management and Urban Rehabilitation, Ministry of Cities, Brazil Adam Banaszak, Rapporteur Committee of the Regions and Mayor of Kujawskopomorskie, Poland Participants listen to panelists Working Session - Contribution of Science and Technology to Achieving the 2020 Sendai Target (L-R) Gordon McBean, President, ICSU; Ian Clark, European Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre, European Commission (EC); Juan Carlos Villagrán, Head, UN Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER); Chadia Wannous, UNISDR; Renato Solidum, Undersecretary for DRR and Climate Change, Department of Science and Technology, the Philippines; Irina Rafliana, Executive Secretary, International Center for Interdisciplinary and Advanced Research, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Indonesia; Marcial Bonilla, Director of Basic Research, Mexican National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT), Mexico; and Royol Chitradon, Director, Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute, Thailand Marcial Bonilla, Director of Basic Research, CONACYT, Mexico Royol Chitradon, Director, Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute, Thailand Participants during the event Plenary Session - Reducing Vulnerability of Countries in Special Situations (L-R) Krishna Bahadur Raut, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Nepal; Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Jamaica; Kirsi Madi, UNISDR; Session Co-Chair Fathima Thasneem, Ministry of Defense and National Security, Maldives; Session Co-Chair Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Australia; Yande Mwape, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, Office of the Vice President, Zambia; and Session Co-Chair Fekitamoeloa Utoikamanu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked and Developing Countries and SIDS Session Co-Chair Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Australia Session Co-Chair Fathima Thasneem, Ministry of Defense and National Security, Maldives Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Jamaica Session Co-Chair Fekitamoeloa Utoikamanu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked and Developing Countries and SIDS Krishna Bahadur Raut, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Nepal Yande Mwape, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, Office of the Vice President, Zambia Participants share experiences and ask the panelists questions Working Session - Inclusive & People Centered DRR (L-R) Mary Jack, ActionAid, Vanuatu; Raphael Obonyo, Kenya; Session Co-Chair Natalia Kanem, Deputy Executive Director, UN Population Fund (UNFPA); Session Co-Chair Abul Kalam Azad, Principal Coordinator for SDGs, Prime Minister’s Office, Bangladesh; Lenny Rosalin, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, Indonesia; and Carlos Kaiser Mansilla, Executive Director, ONG Inclusiva, Chile Working Session - DRR Governance (L-R) Natalia Ilieva, Executive Assistant to the Secretary General, Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union; Dilanthi Amaratunga, Chair of the DRR Governance ‘Words into Action’ Working Group; María Luisa Romero, Deputy Minister of Government of Panama; Session Co-Chair Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Minister of Disaster Management, Sri Lanka; Session Co-Chair Robert Šakić Trogrlić, University of Edinburgh, Scotland; Carlos Iván Márquez Pérez, Director, National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, Colombia; and Fadi Hamdan, Managing Director, Disaster Risk Management Centre, Lebanon Working Session - Ecosystems Protection, Management and Resilient Agriculture (L-R) Rony Estuardo Granados Mérida, Director, Instituto Nacional de Bosques; Margareta Wahlström, President, Swedish Red Cross; Session Co-Chair Rustam Nazarzoda, Chairman, Committee of Emergency Situation and Civil Defense, Tajikistan; Session Co-Chair Chair Jane Madgwick, CEO Wetlands International; and Adrian Fitzgerald, Policy Lead for Climate Change Policy Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland Interpreters during the session Around the Venue
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Highlights and images for 22 May 2017

52nd Meeting of the GEF Council Meeting

The GEF Council Consultation meeting with CSOs took place on 22 May 2017, the day before the opening of the 52nd meeting of the GEF Council. The CSO consultation included a dialogue with the GEF CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii, and discussions on: the road towards the seventh replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund (GEF-7); and enhancing the relationship between the GEF and civil society. A dialogue with Secretariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and the fourth meeting of the Working Group on Implementation of the GEF Public Involvement Policy convened throughout the day. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage from the GEF Council Consultation Meeting with CSOs. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has produced a summary report from the 52nd GEF Council Meeting and 22nd Meeting of the LDCF/SCCF Council, which is abailable in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Leila Mead For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Session 1: CSO Dialogue with the GEF CEO and Chairperson Victor Kawanga, Vice Chair, GEF-CSO Network, opened the session, noting the ongoing process to select a host for the Network secretariat. Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson, highlighted increased awareness of rapid environmental degradation, noting that environmental risk currently dominates the risk landscape for business. Underscoring the evolving role of non-state actors, Ishii stressed the need to modernize civil society engagement, including through thematic organic multistakeholder platforms for food and agriculture. In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: resources for CSO participation; the role of the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) as a seed fund; direct financing of CSO projects by the GEF; and the need for mechanisms at the national level to facilitate transfer of resources from the private sector to CSOs. GEF CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii Victor Kawanga, Vice-Chair of the GEF-CSO Network, and Gustavo Fonseca, GEF Secretariat Victor Kawanga, Vice-Chair of the GEF-CSO Network Elsa Escobar, Fundación Natura Colombia, intervenes during the dialogue. Wouter Veening, Institute for Environmental Security, intervenes during the dialogue. Lisa Elges, Transparency International EU, during the dialogue Session 2: The Road towards GEF-7 Patricia Turpin, Regional Focal Point (RFP) Caribbean, GEF-CSO Network, and Fiu Mataese Elisara, RFP Pacific, GEF-CSO Network, co-moderated this session, which included a panel discussion on the status and progress of work under GEF-6. Gustavo Fonseca, GEF Secretariat, provided an update on the proposed programming directions for GEF-7, emphasizing ongoing consultations with donors, agencies, MEA Secretariats, CSOs and other stakeholders. He stressed the need to focus on key economic systems impacting the global environment, noting that such focus should reflect the priorities expressed by countries, including through their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Baljit Wadhwa, GEF Independent Evaluation Office (IEO), presented an update on the ongoing Sixth Overall Performance Study of the GEF (OPS6) in the areas of performance and impact, policies, financing, governance and partnerships. She also noted the final evaluation report to be released in September 2017. Yoko Watanabe, Global Manager, SGP, outlined the SGP’s achievements, future vision and strategy, project examples and key directions on upscaling the Programme, including through: ensuring that local communities are at the forefront of protecting the global commons; building, replicating and scaling up strategic partnerships; and promoting social inclusion. Tanyaradzwa Mundoga, Council Member, provided an update on the ongoing GEF-7 replenishment negotiations. He urged GEF Council Members to bridge the gaps between the GEF’s current actions and “what is really needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” Olga Speranskaya, Co-Chair, International Persistent Organic Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), emphasized the linkages among chemicals and the 17 SDGs. She said GEF-6 funds available for chemicals are US$554 million, while US$1.9 billion is needed. She noted that annual chemicals-related health costs are only a small fraction of the chemical industry’s revenue each year. Speranskaya stressed that SGP funding for chemicals should be proportional to GEF funding for chemicals. Lisa Elges, Transparency International EU, underscored the need for better transparency and accountability. She noted demand for more fair and direct access to GEF resources by CSOs in developing countries. Lucy Mulenkei, Chair, Indigenous Peoples Advisory Group (IPAG), underscored the importance of the SGP for indigenous peoples organizations. She highlighted indigenous peoples’ challenges related to participating and achieving visibility in international conventions. In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: raising local awareness of chemicals- and gender-related issues; developing a capacity-building scheme under the SGP; the need for knowledge sharing in, and scaling up of, SGP projects; the role of the GEF Partnership in co-financing SGP projects; GEF-7 policy proposal on CSO engagement; and the future direction of the GEF-CSO Network under GEF-7. A view of the dais during the session (L-R): Baljit Wadhwa, GEF IEO; Lucy Mulenkei, Chair, IPAG; Session Co-Moderators Fiu Mataese Elisara, RFP Pacific, GEF CSO Network, and Patricia Turpin, RFP Caribbean, GEF CSO Network; Yoko Watanabe, SGP Global Manager; Tanyaradzwa Mundoga, GEF Council Member, Zimbabwe; and Olga Speranskaya, IPEN Baljit Wadhwa, GEF IEO Gustavo Fonseca, GEF Secretariat A view of the dais during the intervention of Gustavo Fonseca, GEF Secretariat Olga Speranskaya, IPEN Yoko Watanabe, SGP Global Manager Lucy Mulenkei, Chair, IPAG Tanyaradzwa Mundoga, GEF Council Member, Zimbabwe A view of the room during the session Session 3: Enhancing the Relationship between the GEF and Civil Society Peter Wisner, Council Member, US, presented the draft progress report of the Ad-Hoc Council Working Group on GEF and Civil Society. He outlined a vision of the relationship between GEF and CSOs, highlighting the overarching objective of achieving greater results and CSOs’ advisory role to the GEF Council. Wisner invited specific suggestions on enhancing the relationship between CSOs and recipient governments. During the discussion, CSO members highlighted issues including: strengthening CSOs’ engagement at the local, regional and international levels; the need for more discussion of the report; securing financial support for the GEF-CSO Network activities; and formalizing the role of CSOs in reporting country non-compliance. L-R: Nana Janashia, Caucasus Environmental NGO Network; Peter Wisner, GEF Council Member, US; and Ramon Cruz, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy Ramon Cruz, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy L-R: Nana Janashia, Caucasus Environmental NGO Network; Victor Kawanga, Vice-Chair of the GEF-CSO Network; and Peter Wisner, GEF Council Member, US Reception to Celebrate the 50th Ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury GEF Council member Mitsutoshi Kajikawa, Japan, Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson, Caryn McClelland, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, US Department of State, Carlos Gianelli Derois, Uruguayan Ambassador to the US, Gustavo Fonseca, GEF Secretariat, and Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, Interim Secretariat of the Minamata Convention      
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