Disaster risk management is an area with many opportunities for international cooperation, and specifically for South-South and triangular cooperation. As the effects of disasters are characterised by their cross-cutting nature, cooperation has taken place not only among countries, but also through international organisations and civil society. This event, organised by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service of Chile (SENAPRED) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), will address different areas of inter-institutional and multi-sectoral relations among countries.

SELA considers that in Latin America and the Caribbean there is still much to be done in terms of resilient infrastructure and quality services available to all, considering that countries in the region have a deficit of infrastructure assets, as well as poor maintenance and low quality in the provision of services, considerably affecting the quality of life of their populations. There are many causes behind this reality, including low competitiveness of the economies and low investment to develop and maintain infrastructure.

SELA, ECLAC and SENAPRED join efforts to promote a space for discussion to address the progress and challenges of international cooperation in disasters with the inclusion of public-private partnerships (PPP) in the construction of a resilient infrastructure that allows for the optimization of services.

The dialogue aims to identify the generation of resilient assets capable of providing in a sustainable manner the delivery of services so that the social infrastructures of health, education and emergency services can function. It is not only about the universalisation of services and the consequent reduction of access gaps, but also about fostering inclusive growth in which everyone has access to quality infrastructure.

PPPs have proven to be an effective way to boost economic recovery in the region, especially considering that many countries face significant fiscal constraints due to the contemporary global context and prevailing macroeconomic conditions.

The first session focuses on the experiences of South-South cooperation in integrated disaster risk management, highlighting long-standing practices, be they projects, programmes or policies, with the aim of illustrating and guiding the discussion on how to support the consolidation of South-South and triangular cooperation in this field, considering the cross-cutting participation of countries, international organisations and civil society, among others.

The second session will present the main characteristics, mandates, and objectives of the recently launched Fund for Climate Adaptation and Comprehensive Disaster Response (FACRID) of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which will be financed by voluntary contributions from member countries. This fund is already a milestone in South-South cooperation on this issue. At the request of CELAC, ECLAC agreed to be the administrator of the Fund, in accordance with the administrative, financial, and auditing rules and regulations of the United Nations.

The third topic to be discussed at this Forum will be the challenges of implementation and governance of Chile's law 21.364, emphasising the opportunities to learn from international experience and to serve as an example to other countries that will follow this route in the future. The specific challenges that will be presented are those of territorialisation and lack of information, which are common to all countries in the region.

The fourth topic to be discussed at this meeting is the measurement of environmental damages and losses, which is an interconnection of two development agendas, disaster risk reduction and climate change. Both the Sendai Framework and the COP have highlighted the importance of this issue. The progress made on the issue by sectoral ministries in Chile such as Agriculture, Energy and Environment will be presented, as well as the measurement of damages and losses from deforestation in Honduras, a study that was financed by FACRID.

The fifth session is focused on public-private partnerships in the field of resilient infrastructure and public services, which are another important form of cooperation as a low-risk option to reduce the investment gap that exists in Latin American and Caribbean countries and that would allow taking advantage of technical innovations that can strengthen the quality of services and improve the region's capacities for optimal productive performance in global value chains. At the same time, the generation of renewable energies, the promotion of solutions with collateral mitigation and adaptation benefits, and the reinforcement of inclusion and attention to vulnerable groups are stimulated.

Finally, the integration and articulation of civil society in disaster risk management in Chile will be discussed, highlighting lessons learned, challenges and limitations. Other international cases will also be presented. This topic is one of the richest in terms of national and international cooperation due to the number of actors, sectors and levels of government that can be involved.

The Forum on Progress and challenges of international cooperation during disasters is organised by the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service of Chile (SENAPRED).

Date: 11 and 12 March 2024

Venue:  Celso Furtado Room, ECLAC headquarters in Santiago de Chile, Chile

Time: Monday, 11 March: 13: 00 - 18:00 hours
           Tuesday, 12 March: 09:00 – 18:00 hours

Modality: Face to face

Language: Spanish

For additional information, please contact:

Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA):

Coordination by the Permanent Secretariat of SELA:
Gustavo Herrera - Coordinator of the Area of Social Development
Telephones: 58-212-955-7111 / 955-7115
E-mail: gherrera@sela.org

Sayed Durán – Social Development Analyst
Telephones: 58-212-955-7111 / 955-7136
E-mail: sduran@sela.org

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC):

Coordination by ECLAC:
Omar Bello - Economic Affairs Officer
Telephone: (56 2) 2210 2319
E-mail: omar.bello@cepal.org