1. Pan American Health Organization Inter-American Mechanism for Disaster Response Where do we go? Dr. Jean Luc Poncelet Area Manager Emergency preparedness and Disaster Relief PAHO/WHO

2. Pan American Health Organization IACNDR A solid concept of the OAS: –Established in 1999 : AG/Res.1682 –Confirmed in 2005, 06,07 and 2009

3. Pan American Health Organization Inter-American Natural Disaster Response Event Any agency detects natural disaster event and can trigger the EOC Posts disaster information on IACNDR response webpage Inter-American response Meeting Situation reports Convenes Preparedness & Response working group Each agency initiates response and informs working group of each agencys response.

4. Pan American Health Organization Day 0 - Day 3 OAS: Activation of Inter-American Emergency Aid Fund (FONDEM) with pending request of affected state. IDB: Mobilization of USD 200k per country conditioned to declaration of emergency and request. PADF: Verify needs and mobilize National/ Regional/International/ Private Sector capacity. Establish direct contact with National Authorities. IADB: Follow-up with Defense Ministers of affected country. Give technical advice in consultation with OAS & Member States in humanitarian aid & assistance, search & rescue in disaster events. IICA: Review of Damage Assessment & Needs Analysis (DANA) prepared by national emergency office. PAHO: Mobilize regional response team and activate UN Health Cluster. Inter-American Natural Disaster Response Mechanism Trigger: EOC alerts IACNDR of event

5. Pan American Health Organization Day 4 - Day ? OAS-EOC: Maintains point of contact services, enhanced communication, generates reports, monitors deployment of technical advisors to field. OAS: Facilitate technical briefing of Ambassadors & IACNDR, coordinate/request information to Embassies. The Response Committee sends a briefing note to the Permanent Mission IDB: Identify mission to facilitate immediate response facility loan & loan reformation. PADF: Coordinate closely with OAS, continue to mobilize capacity, report on role of private sector. IADB: Bilateral support-facilitate contacts (military) with affected countries. Continue technical advice. IICA: Conduct detailed Damage Assessment of the Agricultural sector, with UNECLAC, using a Macroeconomic framework. PAHO: Implement flash appeal, boost the MOH capacity and beef up the health cluster Inter-American Natural Disaster Response Mechanism

6. Pan American Health Organization The final goal To enhance national and international assistance to populations affected by natural disasters by: –strengthening and complementing the local response capacity –improving the quality and appropriateness of external assistance

7. Pan American Health Organization Complementary A sophisticated humanitarian coordination system already exists at the national, sub- regional and global level: –Civil defense and emergency committees –CDERA, CEPREDENAC, CAPRADE, … –UN System: ERC, OCHA, Clusters, CERF, … –NGOs and Red Cross Coordination mechanisms –OAS: IACNDR, Preparedness and Response Group, …

8. Pan American Health Organization Where can the OAS make a difference in disaster response Good information / Intelligence Good governance & accountability Professional expertise on-site

9. Pan American Health Organization Good information/ intelligence Reliable and practical information can be more valuable than stockpiles of supplies. Many donors are on stand-by to provide supplies yet few have information on what is really needed.

10. Pan American Health Organization Good governance and accountability in handling humanitarian supplies An Inter-American standardized tool to manage large amounts of humanitarian supplies as well as an indicator of transparency.

11. Pan American Health Organization public private page

12. Pan American Health Organization Proposals for improvement of the preparedness response mechanism Better information management: –A unified source of information: an Inter- American website linked with the UNs ReliefWeb –Creation of a full time disaster response coordination position at the assistant Secretary General office A stronger instituational link: –Regular Progress report to the permanent council –Nomination on a rotation basis of three member state to integrate the Preparedness and Response committee? An improved OAS capacity: –Training of Foreign services in Wash in countries with OAS Representatives –Facilitators to be provided by UN and OAS response agencies

13. Pan American Health Organization Proposals for improvement of the preparedness response mechanism Stronger Inter-American System: –Propose to OAS assembly the endorsement of technical guidelines on improving the quality of humanitarian donations –A regional guideline for Foreign Affairs –Others proposed by the permanent councils

14. Pan American Health Organization Conclusions