On 2 and 3 May 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck the coast of Myanmar and moved inland across the Ayeyarwady Delta and southern Yangon Division, causing many deaths, destroying livelihoods, and disrupting economic activities and social conditions.

The cyclone is considered to be the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of Myanmar.

Immediately following the cyclone, the United Nations World Food Progamme (WFP), the UN’s frontline agency in the fight against global hunger, responded to meet the enormous challenge of providing assistance to the populated areas badly hit by the cyclone, many of which were isolated and flooded, and only accessible by boat.

Paul Risley, the Asia Regional Communications Advisor and Spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Programme, will discuss Cyclone Nargis and the UN's and the International Community's humanitarian intervention and response in Myanmar over the past four months.

Responsible for media relations in 14 Asian countries where WFP provides food assistance, Mr. Risley has provided news, information and analysis of food security issues to reporters and audiences across Asia.

Mr. Risley’s work has brought him to most of the countries in Asia where recent natural disasters or civil conflict have required WFP food assistance, including Myanmar, North Korea, Afghanistan, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The recent global food price crisis has further underscored the critical importance of WFP food assistance in many Asian countries.

Prior to joining WFP in 2006, Mr. Risley held a variety of communications and spokesperson positions for United States government agencies and international organisations. Most recently, in 2005, Mr. Risley served as the Spokesperson for the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Liberia. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Risley was a Senior Programme Officer with the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, focusing on the promotion of democracy in conflict areas, including field work in Kosovo, Sierra Leone and East Timor. Mr. Risley served as spokesperson for the Prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, in The Hague, The Netherlands, 1999-2000. In 1994-1995, during the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, he served as Deputy Spokesperson for the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in Zagreb and Sarajevo. Mr. Risley was a press secretary for members of the US Senate and the US House of Representatives 1984 -1991 in Washington D.C.

Paul Risley has a Masters in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a B.A. in History from the University of Michigan.

Registration for this event is recommended as places are limited. To register your interest please email James.Giggacher@anu.edu.au