GENEVA (Kyodo) The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Tuesday that it will hold an international conference in Kobe next week to discuss enhancing cross-border cooperation in rescue activities in the event of major disasters.

More than 200 people, including officials in charge of disaster rescue-related work, from about 80 countries will take part in the three-day meeting starting Tuesday in Kobe, the office said. The city was devastated by a major earthquake in 1995.