Chairman,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to join you today and share with you some of the perspectives and experiences of the Organization of American States on natural disaster risk reduction.

Let me start with the following observations:

Disaster reduction, as we all know, is critical to the socio-economic development of our nations and the well-being of their peoples.

Developments and challenges related to poverty, imbalanced urbanization, poor governance, social exclusion, and deteriorating ecosystems exacerbate the vulnerability of small countries to the externally generated financial and economic shocks making it difficult for these economies to effectively and timely respond to the impact of natural hazards.

This year’s hurricane and rainy seasons have just started for the Caribbean and Central American regions, and already we have seen the devastating impact of intense rainfall, even as we brace for more extreme weather brought by tropical storms and hurricanes.

In South America, just this past May, floods and mudslides from months of heavy rains in northern Brazil have displaced nearly 200,000 people; killed at least 19 and cut off shipments from a huge Amazon iron mine, impacting the economy of the whole region.

In Costa Rica, on January 8th, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake killed 23 people, injured 100, displaced more than 100,000 people in 71 communities and destroyed 423 houses.

In Honduras, on May 28th, while we were preparing for the 39th session of the General Assembly, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake killed seven people and, caused about 100 million US Dollars in damage.

These are just a few examples of natural hazards in the Western Hemisphere, where for a long time the primary focus regarding natural disaster mitigation and risk reduction has been on the Caribbean and Central American countries, related to the hurricanes season projections. Today we have to observe that the challenge of natural disaster risk reduction is a hemispheric one and therefore requires the fullest attention of political leaders, policy makers and legislators.

Therefore you will understand my satisfaction when I that note that OAS member states have become increasingly involved in supporting, reforming and strengthening existing hemispheric multilateral mechanisms and instruments, as demonstrated by the adoption of 9 resolutions on this matter during the recently held General Assembly in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Ladies and Gentlemen, from the perspective of the Organization of American States there is little doubt that dealing with the challenges of disaster risk reduction requires a holistic perspective. We believe that risk reduction should be an integral component of strategic development programming and of sound governance that ensures participation of government institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector.

We also have to continue advocating partnerships and alliances within and between societies to more effectively coordinate efforts, mobilize resources and implement recovery and reconstruction programs.

I believe we have made important strides in the Western Hemisphere.

Member states have adopted the Inter-American Strategic Plan for Policy on Vulnerability Reduction, Risk Management and Disaster Response – known as IASP, which incorporates the strategic shift advocated by the OAS leadership: from a focus on humanitarian assistance to integrated, multilateral and inclusive cooperation.

The Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR), established in 1999, provides for a hemispheric forum on which the Regional Platform for Disaster Reduction in the Americas can be institutionalized, as it includes all Inter-American Organizations, all relevant regional Inter-governmental organizations, especially the Central American Integration System, the Caribbean Community, the Andean Community and the Association of Caribbean States, and all relevant UN System agencies. Development banks, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), and multilateral and bilateral cooperation agencies, along with universities and other academic institutions, complete the Regional Platform in the Americas.

The OAS and regional Inter-governmental organizations consider the UNISDR and the Regional Platform, as the annual reporting mechanism for the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and IASP implementation. We, at OAS, believe that the central purpose of the Americas Regional Platform is to link global efforts with regional initiatives through a clear and strong articulation.

In our view, as the Regional Platform is established as a process, rather than a single event, all the Inter-American and UN Systems agencies should work together towards a clear division of responsibilities, functions and areas of action so as to optimize resources and effectiveness at all levels. In my view, the fact that the OAS is the only political and technical platform for all the 34 active member states in the Western Hemisphere, and taking into account the experience, expertise and communication network of the OAS, build over many years, makes this hemisphere institution a trusted partner in support of global and regional natural disaster risk reduction objectives, initiatives and programs.

In this light, we recognize the importance of the Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM) which was established at the first Inter-American Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities of Sustainable Development, in December 2006, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Given the practical knowledge and experience of domestic agencies, the network is expected to support South-South co-operation among OAS member states for the sharing of knowledge and practical experiences in implementing the National Platforms.
I am pleased to share with you that OAS member states at the recent General Assembly passed a resolution to form a working group on natural disaster risk reduction, to start the assessment of existing legal and cooperation instruments and mechanisms in disaster mitigation and disaster management towards the preparation of an Inter-American Action Plan.

Mr. Chair, I take this opportunity to appeal for increased support and assistance to the small and vulnerable economies in the Caribbean and Central America in their efforts of managing risk in their societies related to natural hazards. A special call I make for more comprehensive assistance to the Republic of Haiti.

In closing, Mr. Chair, I must recognize the long standing collaboration between the OAS and the UN in the area of disaster management and disaster risk reduction in the Americas, dating back to 1977, when the Secretary General of the OAS signed an agreement with the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator concerning the coordination of disaster relief in the Americas.

More recently, on June 6 of 2007, at the First Session of the Global Platform, the General Secretariat of the OAS and the UNISDR entered into a Cooperation Agreement for advancing the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action in the Americas and the Inter-American Strategic Plan for Policy on Vulnerability Reduction, Risk Management and Disaster Response.

And, earlier this year, on March 17-19, OAS and UNISDR Americas co-convened the First Session of the Regional Platform. We look forward to continuing this collaboration with UNISDR and partners of the Inter-American and UN Systems aiming to improve the lives of our most vulnerable communities in the Western Hemisphere.
I thank you for your attention and for the opportunity to make this brief presentation.