CEPREDENAC
From HFA-PEDIA
CEPRDENAC (Central America)
Established in 1988, the Coordinating Centre for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America, CEPREDENAC (http://www.cepredenac.org) is the specialized institution of the Central American Integration System (SICA) for natural disaster prevention, mitigation and response. The Governments of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama are active members, while Belize and Dominican Republic are in the process of becoming members. CEPREDENAC‘s inter-sectoral agenda is harmonized with other specialized regional entities in such areas as hydrological resources, agriculture, nutrition and food security.
The Regional Disaster Reduction Plan, PRRD, aims at contributing to disaster reduction as an integral part of the sustainability of Central American societies. The strategic objectives of the PRRD are:
a) promoting the incorporation of disaster risk reduction in legislation, policies, plans and investment projects for sustainable development in the region;
b) enhancing and developing greater resilience of the population to disaster risk; and 3) promoting the incorporation of disaster risk analysis in the design and implementation of prevention, mitigation, response, recovery and reconstruction in the countries of the region (PRRD 2006-2015).
The first actions undertaken by the Executive Secretary of CEPREDENAC during 2006-2007 were focused on strengthening the institution and consolidating the inter-sectoral approach to disaster risk reduction, with a view of engaging in a more programmatic and strategic management.
One of the most challenges processes undertaken by CEPREDENAC in recent years has been the review of the Regional Strategy for Disaster Reduction 2006-2015 (PRDD). The PRRD 2006-2015 is based on the Presidential Mandates and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 and the proposal has been the result of a wide participative consultation process that took place in each country of the region through workshops and collective interviews. The whole process has revitalized the National Commissions of CEPRDENAC, allowing for the incorporation and ownership of more stakeholders in the multi-sectoral composition of these commissions.
The updating of the PRDD has helped CEPREDENAC and its members to focus on developing some sensitive and somehow forgotten areas, such as:
a) the development of DRR performance indicators and its relation with sustainable development;
b) vulnerability indicators;
c) development of concept and methodological frameworks as well as an experts cadre for the treatment of urban risk;
d) strengthening of capacities and mechanism for preparedness and response to emergencies; and e) national workshops for systematization of scientific and technical research in order to feed multiple and different users.
Regional Disaster Reduction Plan 2006-2015 (Spanish):
CEPREDENAC, Centro de Coordinación para la Prevención de los Desastres Naturales en América Central, Plan regional para la reducción de desastres, PRRD 2006-2015, Guatemala, republica de Guatemala - http://www.cepredenac.org/downloads/PRRD4taversion.pdf
