1. Red Interamericana de Mitigación de Desastres (RIMD) Réseau Interaméricain d'atténuation des désastres (RIAD) Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM) Rede Interamericana de Mitigacao de Desastres (RIMD) Meeting of National Operational Focal Points 1st Session of the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction of the Americas Panama City, Panama March 16, 2009

2. About the Network Background Dec 3-5, 2006: Santa Cruz +10, First Inter-American Meeting of Ministers and High-level Authorities of Sustainable Development; Jun 5, 2007: XXXVII (AG/Res. 2314), OAS Member States resolved to “recognize the Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM) as the permanent hemispheric mechanism for strengthening practical cooperation among intergovernmental agencies in the area of disaster reduction, especially by sharing technical information and best practices”. Mission To establish a Hemispheric Platform for practical cooperation among governmental and inter-governmental agencies in the area of disaster mitigation. The Network seeks to advance the exchange of lessons learned and good practices, the establishment of a pool of experts and a network of decision and policy-makers, capable to support the formulation of public policy and plans for the reduction of disasters. An Institutional Network to advance practical cooperation... Not a social Network.

3. Who are its members? WHO CAN BECOME A MEMBER? Any organization that advocates, supports and/or actively participates in Natural Disaster Risk Management. The Organizations interested in becoming members will need to send a letter with a brief background to the Technical Secretariat, c/o GS/OAS. National Operational Focal Points (NOFP) University Segment International Cooperation Segement Inter-Governmental Segment Private Sector Segment NGO Segment IFI Segment

4. Its governance Management Board Technical Secretariat OAS/DSD Rsik-MACC Advisory Council Experts from: Multi-lateral donors; Cooperation Agencies; Universities; and Independent experts Co-Chairs: OAS/DSD Rsik-MACC Chief NOFP Jamaica OAS/DSD NOFP IDB PAHO PADF Resources: URLs for data sources: publications, white papers, programs, projects and events; Multi-media: Case studies, lessons learned and ‘good’ practices; Pool of Experts: scientists, policy-makers, etc. Calendar of Events: relevant national, regional, hemispheric and global events From the Inter- American Committe for Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR)

5. Products and services

6. What’s ahead? 1 An online Dynamic Institutional Mapping Tool (DIMT): An online relational database with multiple functions and tools for networking among organizations, individuals –experts and policy-makers, and for surfing multiple information sources. Calendar of Events. 2 An online Virtual Discussion Forum Platform for the exchange and sharing of practical experiences and lessons learned, which through expert judgment and criteria provide the bases for the identification and replication of “good” practices. i.e. Flood EWS, CQA, Public-private partnerships, School Retrofiting, etc. 3 Face-to-face Thematic Encounters for promoting exchanges and sharing of practical as well as policy experience and the identification of South-South Cooperation Initiatives (SSCI). This activity feeds into the Virtual Forum and vice versa, as Virtual Forums may result in the identification of specific cooperation initiatives. i.e. Second Hemispheric Encounter on “Cost-Benefit Analysis: Making a case to invest on Vulnerability Reduction in the Americas” 4 South-South Cooperation Initiatives drawn from face-to-face Thematic Encounters and Virtual Discussion Forums. Expert support for the formulation of project proposals, and mutual cooperation 5 Training and capacity building within specific areas, partnering with Centers of Excellence in High-tech Applications related to Disaster Mitigation. Also partnering with Leading Institutions (involved in Policy Formulation), Universities and Research Institutions specializing in Risk Management Policy. i.e. Workshop on Applying Remote Sensing Technology for Flood Risk Management, National Commission on Space Activities (CONAE) of Argentina

7. Red Interamericana de Mitigación de Desastres (RIMD) Réseau Interaméricain d'atténuation des désastres (RIAD) Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM) Rede Interamericana de Mitigacao de Desastres (RIMD) Meeting of National Operational Focal Points 1st Session of the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction of the Americas Panama City, Panama March 16, 2009