Enhancing cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean on disaster risk
Seven months after the EU agreement with Latin America and the Caribbean to strengthen cooperation on disaster risk management, where are we now?
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is the world’s second most disaster-prone region, facing threats from a multiplicity of hazards ranging from hurricanes to volcanic eruptions, from floods to droughts. A quick look at the EU risk landscape tells us that the region is similarly exposed, with extreme weather events becoming more regular and more severe across Europe as a result of climate change.
A recognition of these common challenges, coupled with the opportunity for both regions to share experiences and learn from the other, led to the idea of an EU-LAC Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on integrated disaster risk management in the margins of the EU-CELAC Summit in July 2023.
Fast forward to 15 May 2024, and the MoU was signed by four intergovernmental organisations: the EU, CDEMA, CEPREDENAC and SG CAN, as well as three individual country signatories: Chile, Cuba and Mexico. It was signed in Barbados, being an opportunity to showcase the unique challenges faced by Small Island Developing States, who are on the frontline of climate change and witness firsthand sea level rise, ocean warming, acidification and the resulting climate consequences.
So, seven months later, what has happened? Quite a lot. To govern its implementation, a Secretariat has been established comprising two permanent members, being the EU and UNDRR, as a recognised strategic partner under the MoU, as well as two rotating signatory members (currently CDEMA and Chile).
The MoU itself is a framework document to promote policy dialogue, knowledge exchange and joint initiatives. The Secretariat has reflected this into a finalised MoU implementation plan, including activities along three priority areas spanning the short-, medium- and long-term. Notably, within this implementation plan, each individual signatory takes the lead on a number of activities and while some activities include all seven signatories, others are region-specific and hazard-specific, providing for a tailored approach that is needs-based.
Implementation has kicked off to include LAC regional trainings on the Copernicus Emergency Management Systems, as well as numerous regional events with spaces for MoU discussion: the VII Forum on integrated disaster risk management in Guatemala City (10 to 11 October), a regional policy dialogue on combating forest fires in Chile (26 to 27 November) and a Comprehensive Disaster Management conference in St Kitts and Nevis (2 to 6 December).
In 2025, some of the immediate priorities include a lessons learnt workshop on the current Atlantic hurricane season, technical exchanges on multi-hazard early warning systems, as well as the next high-level policy dialogue in June at the UNDRR Global Platform in Geneva.
You can also check find an overview of the MoU content via our MoU factsheet. For general information about ECHO’s projects across Latin America and the Caribbean click here.
Amanda Shiel: amanda.shiel@ec.europa.eu
Matteo Sirtori: matteo.sirtori@ec.europa.eu
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