CEPREDENAC Coordination Centre for Natural Disasters Prevention in Central America

1. CEPREDENACCoordination Centre for Natural Disasters Prevention in Central America CEPREDENAC’S AOR TOWARDS DISASTER REDUCTION Interoperable Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Natural Disaster Seminar June 16 – 20 2003 Geronimo J. Giusto-Robelo Executive Secretary

2. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica Panamá Council of Representatives Belice Dominican Republic

3. Creation of SICA Hurricane Mitch 1988 1991 1998 1993 2003 1999 1995 Creation of CEPREDENAC Sign Agreement (Foreign Affairs) Strategic Framework Legislative Approval New Charter Milestones Armed Conflict

4. Cepredenac’s Log

5. CEPREDENACNational Agencies -- Commissions • SINAPRED • CNE • COPECO • SINAPROC • MIREX • COEN • SNET • CONRED

6. CEPREDENAC National Agencies -- Commissions Foreign Relations Ministry, Rep. of El Salvador http://www.rree.gob.sv National Emergency Committee of El Salvador (COEN) El Salvador http://www.coen.gob.sv National Service of Territorial Studies SNET - http://www.snet.gob.sv National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction of Guatemala (CONRED) Guatemala http://www.conred.org National System for the Prevention, Mitigation and Disaster Attention (SINAPRED) http://www.sosnicaragua.gob.ni Emergency National Committee of Costa Rica (CNE) http://www.cne.go.cr Permanent Commission for Contingency (COPECO) Honduras http://www.copeco.hn National System for the Civil Protection of Panama (SINAPROC) http://www.c-com.net.pa/~snpce

7. CEPREDENAC’S OBJECTIVES • Art. 3 Constitutive Agreement of CEPREDENAC’s, establish the followings objectives: • Promote and coordinate international cooperation • Promote the exchange of information and experience among member states and other regions, • technical advisory regarding prevention in order to reduce natural disasters, and; • improve decision making process for planning and management in the Central American region.

8. CEPREDENAC’S RESPONSABLITIES Article 4 establishes the following responsibilities: • “Among Member States, CEPREDENAC will keep a constant ongoing exchange of information, technical support, training, advisory in prevention and preparation in order to reduce natural disasters…. throughout activities such as courses, seminars, specialization programs, scholarships, professional interchange, instruments donations, observation stations, etc., and equitably channel and or distribute financial and technical support according to each country needs.”

9. FUNCTIONS • Constantly exchange of information , technical assistance, training and advice of prevention and mitigation • equitably channel and or distribute financial and technical support according to each country needs.”

10. REGULAR PROGRAM • Program addressed to accomplish the mandate of the Members States • Actions toward to: • Promote Prevention. • Coordination of common activities in this area. • Know-how exchange between the countries. • Merge actions that need integrative approach.

11. Mandates Coordination Exchange Integration Promotion

12. cac Agro Federation Local Gov. Environment Transportation Nutrition Water femica ccad cocatram incap crrh SICA cepredenac

13. Regional Promotion National Coordination cac-coreca cepredenac femica incap ccad cocatram crrh

14. Support Regional Initiatives • Within the Strategic Framework and the Quinquennium Activities • SE-CEPREDENAC carries out the PRRD, through out a series of projects that focus 5 main areas of the Strategic Framework, such as • Institutional strengthening; • Information and Investigation; Early Warning Systems. • Sector Approach Strategies; • Strengthening Local Capacities in Risk Management; • Mutual Assistance in Disaster Situations

15. Necessary Mechanisms • Support mutual assistance between countries of the Region • Share equipment, resources, knowledge to respond to disasters: • International Cooperation Agreements (Chancery): Manual of Ministries of Foreign Affairs all Central American Countries • ¨Technical¨ support of Natural Disaster Managers in various countries (emergency offices): Technical Handbooks –(Manuals)

16. Mechanism of Mutual Cooperation on Disasters • Defines protocols of assistance • Between the members • Between the members and the international cooperation • Defines procedures for regional coordination (notifications, alerts) • Defines Scenarios and protocol activation Conditions • Describes strengthening points

17. Manuals of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs • CEPREDENAC works with all Foreign Affairs Offices • Developed a Regional Foreign Ministry Manual (defines Chancery actions as both being an assisting or assisted country) • Updating or concluding of National Manuals • Concept of an Assisted or Assisting Country

18. Regional Mutual Aid Mechanisms in Response to Disasters • Prepared by CEPREDENAC’s National Commissions • Represents the first Regional Disaster Cooperation Tool • Includes sharing resources among countries

19. Mutual Aid Assistance Mechanism in Disaster • Requested by the Security Commission • Includes the General Framework • Introduction of the concepts of “Assisted and Assisting Country” Coordinated Cooperation Mechanisms for Disaster Response Regional Mechanism for Mutual Assistance in Disaster Management Foreign Affairs Manual

20. General Consistency Strategic Framework Coordination Cooperation Mechanism for Disaster Response Regional Mechanism for Mutual Assistance in Disaster Disaster Reduction Regional Plan Foreign Affairs Regional Manual

21. Civil Military Coordination • The Superior Council of the Central American Armed Forces ConferenceCFAC. Integrated by: Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Costa Rica & Panama has civilian observers. • CFAC III Ordinary Meeting, Act No. 005/99, the Humanitarian and Rescue Unit, UHR was created and on officially presented on May 24, 2000.

22. Working with International Cooperation

24. More about CEPREDENAC…. www.cepredenac.org