World Visitors See Disaster Recovery
- April 8th, 2011
- Posted by EUEditor
A post-disaster initiative in Queensland this week has seen Ambassadors from 70 countries, including 17 from Europe, touring Northern areas hard hit in recent months by floods, and Cyclone Yasi.
The Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, has hosted the visit, starting with two days in the capital city, Brisbane, now, after a large-scale clean-up, getting over the devastating impacts of heavy floods in mid January.
See EUAustralia Online: “Australia: Outlook for more flooding …”, 11.1.11; “Cyclone Yasi”, 3.2.11.
On Thursday the diplomats were at Cairns (picture), seeing tourist sites like the wildlife sanctuaries in the hinterland, and hearing briefings on scientific work carried out in the region, for preservation of the world’s tropical forests and ocean reefs.
“This visit is an important opportunity to demonstrate to the world that Queensland is well and truly back in business,” Mr Rudd said.
Countries represented are from Africa, all the regions of Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.
The delegations include Switzerland, the European Union, and 15 EU member states: Austria. Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, The Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Reference
Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, Foreign Minister, (media release), “Diplomatic Corps Visit to Queenslandâ€, Brisbane, 6.4.11.
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Pictures
Cairns apreprs.org; Great Barrier reef, North Queensland itsnature.org