6th Model of the Permanent Council

for OAS Interns –6th MOAS/PC

FINAL BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS

Organization of American States

Washington, D.C.

MEETING OF EXPERTS OF THE INTER-AMERICAN NETWORK FOR DISASTER MITIGATION (INDM) TO EVALUATE THE CASES OF HAITI AND CHILE

Draft resolution presented by: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

BEARING IN MIND:

That our Hemisphere is exposed to several different types of natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods, droughts and hurricanes; and that the consequences of these disasters affect our population and have negative impacts on our economic and social infrastructures;

That disasters in one or more Member States could affect many or all countries of the Hemisphere given the important economic, social and political repercussions of such disasters;

NOTING WITH DEEP CONCERN the devastation caused by the massive earthquakes that struck Haiti and Chile and resulted in significant consequences, including the tragic loss of life and the damage to those countries’ economic and social infrastructures;

REAFFIRMING the importance of reducing the vulnerability of OAS Member States to natural disasters through the exchange of best practice, the development of common strategies, and the strengthening of cooperation among our countries;

CONSIDERING that effective disaster risk reduction depends on preparedness, effective mobilization, and coordination of the governments, private sector, NGOs and civil society organizations;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the commitments made by OAS Member States to achieve the natural disaster risk reduction goals of the Hyogo Framework for Action, adopted at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (Kobe, Japan, January 18-22, 2005);

RECALLING:

Previous resolutions on natural disaster reduction and risk management [AG/RES. 2314 (XXXVII-O/07), AG/RES. 2184 (XXXVI-O/06) and AG/RES. 2114 (XXXV-O/05)], on natural disaster reduction [AG/RES. 2024 (XXXIV-O/04), AG/RES. 1955 (XXXIII-O/03), and AG/RES. 1885 (XXXII-O/02)], and on OAS natural disaster reduction mechanisms [AG/RES.1803 (XXXI-O/01) and AG/RES. 1755 (XXX-O/00)];

The existing framework about natural disasters within the OAS, such as the Inter-American Committee of Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR); the Inter-American Strategic Plan for Policy on Vulnerability Reduction, Risk Management and Disaster Response (IASP), and the Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM); and

BEARING IN MIND the efforts made by sub-regional intergovernmental organizations, such as the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the CoordinationCenter for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America (CEPREDENAC), and the Andean Committee for Disaster Prevention and Assistance (CAPRADE),

RESOLVES:

  1. To instruct the Department of Sustainable Development of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (DSD/SEDI) to convene a Meeting of Experts of the Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM) to be held at the headquarters of the Organization of American States, on July 21st and 22nd, 2010. The objective of this Meeting of Experts of the INDM will be to evaluate the performance of the existing Inter-American mechanisms for disaster management and disaster risk reduction in Haiti and Chile with the purpose of preparing a final report comprising of lessons learned and conclusions about the experience of both countries, recommendations for dealing with future natural disasters and possible guidelines regarding disaster risk reduction.
  1. To establish that the final report of the Meeting of Experts of the INDM will be taken into consideration by the Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR) and the Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and CEPCIDI on Existing Mechanisms for Disaster Prevention and Response and Humanitarian Assistance with the purpose of making the necessary adjustments and pertinent changes to the existing mechanisms within the OAS regarding disaster risk reduction.
  1. To request the DSD/SEDI to report to the Permanent Executive Committee of CIDI (CEPCIDI) on the outcome of the Meeting of Experts of the INDM.
  1. To suggest that the necessary funds for the organization of the Meeting of Experts of the INDM will come from contributions of OAS Member and ObserverStates, and possible partnership with the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and other similar regional organizations, under the coordination of the DSD/SEDI.
  1. To instruct that the DSD/SEDI convene a meeting with the Permanent Observer countries to encourage them to make financial contributions to a Solidarity Fund. This fund will be used specifically for those Member States who cannot, for financial reasons, send their representatives to attend the meeting of expertson July 21st and 22nd, 2010, and any other subsequent meetings.

INTER-AMERICAN EFFORTS FOR EFFECTIVE DISASTER MITIGATION THROUGH MULTILATERAL COORDINATION

Draft resolution presented by: Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic,Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru.

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

HAVING SEEN the need to alleviate the impact of current and future natural disasters and to implement an effective system for disaster monitoring and response;

CONSIDERING that disaster management and disaster mitigation have been placed very high on the cooperation agenda, as most vulnerable communities live in international border areas and transboundary basins, and the impacts of natural disasters have proved to have economic and social impacts way beyond national territories of those most vulnerable and affected countries.

RECALLING previous resolutions on Natural Disaster Reduction and Response Mechanisms, AG/RES. 1682 (XXIX-O/99) which established the Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR), AG/RES. 1755 (XXX-O/00), AG/Res.2314 (XXVII-O/07) which created the Inter-American Network of Disaster Mitigation (INDM), and the Inter-American Convention to Facilitate Disaster Assistance;

REAFFIRMING our commitment to work with National, Sub-regional, Regional and International Agencies seeking to integrate and to coordinate disaster relief and mitigation efforts in our Hemisphere;

DEDICATED to work closely with other agencies and civil society in the planning and implementation of the policies related with the research and elaboration of appropriate and effective tools for disaster mitigation;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) through the IACNDR has developed an official web site for Disaster Response and Relief, which provides a single point of access to information and coordination on response and relief to governments of the Hemisphere,

RECOGNIZING the need to coordinate disaster relief and reconstruction efforts so as to lessen the significant consequences of these tragedies on the social life and the economic development of the nations of our Hemisphere;

RESOLVES:

  1. To emphasize the hemispheric importance of the Inter-American Convention to Facilitate Disaster Assistance, established in AG/Res.2184 (XXXI-O/06) and AG/Res. 2314(XXXVII-O/07), as being the consented manner to coordinate Member States´ efforts when a natural disaster strikes a country of the region, and therefore urge all Member States who have not signed or/nor ratified said Convention, to consider doing so as soon as possible.
  1. To urge the Member States to put into practice the Hyogo Framework for Action, adopted at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (AG/Res.2314) in natural disaster situations, in an effort to work closely and effectively with civil society and other stakeholders, and to enhance bilateral, regional and international cooperation.
  1. To request the Secretary General of the Organization of American States to organize and hold regular meetings of the Inter American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR), at least twice a year in accordance with its Statute, in order to strengthen, coordinate and share information among Government’ representatives of the Member States; competent national, regional and international organizations; and nongovernmental organizations, as well as experts on the issue, so that the IACNDR can implement effective measures and coordinate efforts in a post natural disaster situation.
  1. To instruct the Secretary General of the OAS to create a Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction as a regular and permanent organ of the OAS, so as to support the ongoing work of the Committee.
  1. To request Member States to collaborate with the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) through the IACNDR on the development of theofficial web site for Disaster Response and Relief network, through sharing and updating information and data in order to enhance the coordination of inter-American efforts on disaster mitigation.
  2. To request that the Member States offer proposals to the Permanent Council regarding the most cost-effective means to expand or modify the Inter-American Emergency Aid Fund (FONDEM).
  1. To instruct the OAS Secretary General to report to the Permanent Council on the implementation of this resolution and on subsequent proceedings of the Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction.