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 Coordination Center 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 21 st 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 Observer States, and possible partnership with the Pan
American Development Foundation (PADF) and other similar regional
organizations, under the coordination of the DSD/SEDI.
5. 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 experts on 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 InterAmerican 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. To request Member States to collaborate with the Pan-American Health
Organization (PAHO) through the IACNDR on the development of the
official 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.
6. 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).
7. 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.