Second regional meeting on enhancing international humanitarian partnerships

Recent statistics demonstrate the growing severity and frequency of natural disasters in the Latin America and Caribbean region, possibly as a result of climate change. The region continues to be particularly vulnerable to storms, hurricanes and flooding. The effectiveness and timely delivery of humanitarian aid remain key factors in ensuring the survival of populations affected by disasters. Accordingly, there is a continuing need to improve aid coordination at all levels, particularly given the presence of new actors. We also need to enhance cooperation in the fields of disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction.

The Second Regional Meeting in Brazil will seek to build upon the success of the first meeting held in Mexico City in 2008. It will allow governments, international humanitarian partners (UN agencies, IFRC, NGOs) and civil society to share information, experiences, and best practices in natural disaster management and risk reduction. It will also permit OCHA to explain its role in humanitarian coordination. The meeting will look at ways to consolidate existing information on humanitarian assistance in the region, and share this information in an effective way, in order to assist both recipients of, and donors to, disaster mitigation and response efforts.