BACKGROUND
Governments in Latin America and the Caribbean and regional institutions specializing in disaster risk reduction have been underscoring the importance of promoting efforts to strengthen mechanisms for regional cooperation and coordination with a view to supporting disaster-affected countries. In this context, the “XVIII Meeting of International Cooperation Directors for Latin America and the Caribbean”, held on 26 and 27 November 2007 in the headquarters of the Permanent Secretariat, focused on cooperation with countries most vulnerable to natural disasters, in order to promote effective and efficient cooperation in this area. As a basis for discussions carried out in this event, the Permanent Secretariat prepared and distributed the document “Evolution of international cooperation and regional institutional framework for disaster prevention and assistance” (SP/XVIII.RDCIALC/Di N° 1-07), which presented a description of Latin American and Caribbean institutions specializing in disaster risk reduction.
This institutional framework has been developing and getting stronger in recent years. New institutions and commitments have emerged, making it necessary to continue efforts aimed at creating spaces for coordination among organizations responsible for disaster risk reduction in order to achieve a more effective and efficient cooperation.
To comply with the mandates and commitments undertaken by Latin American and Caribbean countries within the framework of the Ibero-American Summits, the Rio Group and the Latin American Council of SELA, the Permanent Secretariat, in conjunction with the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) and supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the Government of Mexico, held during the year 2009 two seminars on the possibility of establishing a simplified mechanism to respond to emergencies arising from natural disasters. These events, focused on “Mechanisms to respond to Natural Disasters”, analyzed the experiences in the Andean region and the Southern Cone (3 and 4 September 2009, Caracas) and the experiences of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (15 and 16 October 2009, Panama City).
Participants in these seminars agreed to continue efforts aimed at establishing a simplified mechanism to respond to natural disasters and formed a working group coordinated by Mexico (the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and the Secretariat of Governance), with the collaboration of a technical advisory committee, and made up of various specialized regional and subregional institutions (CDEMA, CEPREDENAC, CAPRADE, ISDR, MERCOSUR, ALBA, SEGIB, SELA, among others).
On 7 June 2010, the “Working Group Meeting to improve a proposal for a simplified mechanism for disaster risk management and reduction in Latin American and Caribbean countries” was held in the headquarters of the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE), organized by the Government of Mexico, through the SRE and the Secretariat of Governance (SEGOB), the Permanent Secretariat of SELA and the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB). The objectives of this meeting were: i) Continue current activities for establishing a simplified mechanism for natural disaster risk response; and ii) contribute to multilateral coordination efforts aimed at creating a profile of a simplified mechanism or initiative for disaster risk management and reduction.
As a result, an “Advisory Technical Committee to establish a simplified regional mechanism for response to emergencies arising from disasters” was created and will continue to operate under the coordination of the Government of Mexico so as to develop a proposal for a simplified mechanism that considers advances made by subregional and regional schemes specializing in the matter.
The objective of the “Meeting on the Institutional Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa”, to be held on 13 and 14 December 2010 in Panama City, is to continue regional efforts to achieve greater regional coordination and cooperation in the area of disaster risk reduction.
This meeting is being organized by the Permanent Secretariat of SELA, together with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) and the Perez Guerrero Trust Fund (PGTF) of the Group of 77. It is aimed at promoting cooperation, coordination and development of institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean, but also the knowledge of Asian and African institutions in the area of disaster risk reduction so as to develop South-South Cooperation and exchange information and experiences that will contribute to strengthening the culture of prevention in these geographical regions.
For this meeting, invitations will be extended to all Latin American and Caribbean institutions specializing in disaster risk reduction, particularly the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management (CDEMA), the Andean Committee for Disaster Prevention and Response (CAPRADE), the Coordination Centre for Natural Disaster Prevention (CEPREDENAC), the Special Meeting on Socio-Natural Disaster Risk Reduction, Civil Defence, Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (REHU-MERCOSUR), the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), among others, as well as specialized institutions in Africa and Asia.
The objectives pursued by this initiative are in harmony with the agreements reached in the “Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters” and will allow us to advance in convergence of regional institutions for disaster risk reduction.
