Colombia

From HFA-PEDIA

1 What's New
2 HFA National Reports
3 National Platform
4 HFA National Focal Point
5 Other contacts
- 5.1 Others
6 Climate change
7 Country Profile:
- 7.1 Institutional Level
8 Progress
9 Others Documents:
10 Web Links

What's New

Colombia: Statement made at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (2009) (Spanish only)

An Official Statement made by Mr. Carlos Costa Posada, Minister of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development, Colombia, at the second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, June 2009. (Source: Official statement to the Global Platform 2009)

HFA National Reports

National Report 2008: National HFA Progress Report - 2008 (Spanish only)

National Report 2007: National Report on the Implementation of the HFA (2007) - Colombia (Spanish only)

National Report 2006: no reported

National Report 2005: no reported

National Platform

The National Platform is composed by:

- Ministry of the Interior and Justice.

- Colombian Civil Defense.

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

- National Planning Department.

National Platform Focal Point:

Ministerio del Interior y de Justicia, Dirección de Prevención y Atención de Desastres

Calle 13, N.32-69, Edificio Laboratorio

Piso 4, Bogotá, Colombia

Tel:+ 571-375-0934/0842

Fax:+571-375-1077

direcciongen@dgpad.gov.co

Contact Person:

Sra. Luz Amanda Pulido (Director of the DPAD)

direcciongen@dgpad.gov.co

Alternative e-mail: marthaf@dgpad.gov.co

Colombia: Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction at the Local Level

Good practices of National Platforms 2008 - Case Study: Colombia

Sistema Nacional de Prevención y Atención de Desastres (SNPAD) / Dirección de Prevención y Atención de Desastres (DPAD)

URL: http://www.dgpad.gov.co

HFA National Focal Point

Ministerio del Interior y de Justicia, Dirección de Prevención y Atención de Desastres

(Ministry of Interior and Justice, Office for Disaster Prevention and Response)

Address: Calle 13 No. 32-69. Edificio Laboratorio Piso 4. (Secretaria de Salud) Bogotá D.C., República de Colombia.

Tel: (+57-1) 375-0842/375-1078/375-0934 / Fax: (+57-1) 375-1077

E-mail: direcciongen@dgpad.gov.co

Página Web: http://www.sigpad.gov.co/

Contact person:

Mrs. Luz Amanda Pulido

E-mail: direcciongen@dgpad.gov.co

Assistant: Sra. Martha Fonseca

E-mail: marthaf@dgpad.gov.co

Alternative Contact:

Dra. Ibeth Castro, Head of International Cooperation

E-mail: ibethc@dgpad.gov.co

Tel: (+57-1) 375-0842 / 375-1078 / 375-0934 / Fax: (+57-1) 375-1077; cell: (315) 363-9802

Technical Focal Point:

German Abel Jimenez Barrero

Tel: (+57-1) 375-1078, 213-7191 / (+57-1)375-1077

E-mail: regional@dgpad.gov.co / germanj@dgpad.gov.co

Website: http://www.sigpad.gov.co/

Other contacts

Permanent Mission of Colombia to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions in Geneva

Chief:

Her Excellency Mrs. Clemencia Forero Ucros

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

Address: Chemin du Champ-d’Anier 17-19, 1209 Geneva

Tel: +(41-22) 798-4554, Fax: +(41-22) 791-0787

E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int

UN System Coordination

UNDG: UNCT Colombia

UN Resident Coordinator

Mr. Bruno Moro

UN Resident Coordinator / Resident Representative UNDP

Address: Avenida 82 No. 10-62, 3rd and 4th floor, P.O. Box 091369, Bogota

Tel: 00(571) 488-9000, Fax: 00(571) 488-9010

E-mail: bruno.moro@undp.org, [mail:registry.co@undp.org registry.co@undp.org]

URL: http://www.pnud.org.co

UN Inter-Agency Support

Mr. Juan Ignacio Arango, RC Assistant

Tel: +(571) 488-9000 ext. 137

E-mail: juan.arango@undp.org

Ms. Yasmina Garzón, Secretary

Tel: +(571) 488-9000 ext. 125

E-mail: yasmina.garzon@undp.org

UN Country Team

Mr. Bruno Moro: UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP

Ms. Olga Lucía Acosta: Regional Advisor Bogotá Office, ECLAC

Mr. Luis Manuel Castello: Representative, FAO

Mr. Roberto Haudry de Soucy: Representative, IFAD

Mr. Marcelo Castro-Fox: Representative, ILO

Mr. José Angel Oropeza: Chief of Mission, IOM

Mr. Raúl Rosende: Chief of Office, OCHA

Ms. Claudia Hoshino: Coordinator, L. A. Office, UNCRD

Ms. Barbara Pesce-Monteiro: Country Director, UNDP

Mr. Omar Castiglioni: Chief Security Adviser, UNDSS

Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko: Representative for Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, UNESCO

Mr. Diego Palacios: Representative, UNFPA

Mr. Javier Hernández: Representative, i.a., UNHCHR

Mr. Jean-Nöel Wetterwald: Representative, UNHCR

Mr. Damian Cardona: Director for Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, UNIC

Mr. Paul Martin: Representative Area Office of Colombia and Venezuela, UNICEF

Mr. Antonio Assefh: Representative, UNIDO

Ms. Moni Pizani: Programme Regional Director, UNIFEM

Mr. Aldo Lale-Demoz: Representative, UNODC

Mr. Praveen Agrawal: Representative, WFP

Dr. Pier Paolo Balladelli: Representative, WHO/PAHO

Ms. Béatrice Dhaynaut: Strategic Planning Advisor, Office of the RC

Mr. Juan Ignacio Arango: Coordination Support, Office of the RC

Ms. Yasmina Garzón: Coordination Support, Office of the RC

Updated: 21 May, 2008; UNDG: UNCT Colombia

Others

Colombian Civil Defense (Prevention and Attention to Disasters)

Address: Bogota D.C. No. 52 street. 14-67, P.O. BOX. 6400090

Phone: (+57-1) 6917071/72 / Emergency 144 / Fax.(+57-1) 6916870 to 6408081

E-Mail: contactenos@defensacivil.gov.co

Website: http://www.defensacivil.gov.co/

Contact Person: Gral. Alfonso Arteaga, Director

E-mail: doc@multiphone.net.co

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation Office

Address: Calle 10. 5-51 Bogota DC

Phone: (+57-1) 566 7103 / Fax: (+57-1) 562 5939

Website:http://www.minrelext.gov.co/

Dra. Juana García Uribe, Director of International Cooperation

E-mail: juanagarcia@minrelext.gov.co / meryceci@hotmail.com

National Planning Department, Department of Urban Development and Environment Policy

Address: Calle 26 Number 13-19, floor 8, Building Fonade, Bogota DC

Phone: (+57-1) 596 0300 ext. 2572 to 2550 / Fax: (+57-1) 599 9557 - 596 0314

Website: http://www.dnp.gov.co/

Contact person: Dr. Julio Miguel Silva Salamanca, Director of Urban Development and Environmental Policy

E-mail: jsilva@dnp.gov.co / amartinez@dnp.gov.co

Colombian Red Cross

Website: Colombian Red Cross

Climate change

Colombian delegation to the II Sessión of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction - GP09 - puts forward a proposal for Copenhagen that a fixed amount of Climate Change Adaptation Funds, of a minimum of 30%, be allocated to projects for reducing hydroclimatic risks implemented in developing countries

See proposal (Spanish only)

Related documents

Colombia's First National Communication on Climate Change to the UNFCC (Spanish, December 2001) / Executive Summary

Country Profile:

Official name: Republic of Colombia

Capital: Bogotá

Population: 43.5 million

Density: 38.2 people per sq km

Total area: 1,138,910 sq km

Languages: Spanish*, Indian languages, English Creole

Government: Presidential democracy

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, others 10%

Ethnic groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Currency: Colombian peso

Geographical Description (hazards and disasters)

Colombia is located in an area of geological complexity high, and this explains the frequent occurrence of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, or tidal waves. The earthquakes are the main natural hazard for the country, and that nearly 86% of the population is located in areas of medium and high level of seismic hazard, as well as the vulnerability of urban settlements is high and with a tendency to grow. Moreover, the topographic conditions, climate and hydrology of the country make it prone to the impact of phenomena of erosion, landslides, avalanches and hydrometeorological threats such as rising torrential overflows, floods, hurricanes and storms. For example, El Niño, the recurrence rate and its associated climate changes, generates strong droughts and floods. The environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with this phenomenon can have characteristics of a disaster. According to CAF, the damage to Colombia caused by El Niño between 1997 y1998 amounted to 564 million dollars. Additionally, there are forest fires in the country, technological accidents such as oil spills and leaks of hazardous chemicals and other man in accidentally. These events have led not only to loss of a significant number of lives, but have also harmed the development of the entire country and helped decrease in the reduction of poverty. In Colombia were affected more than four million people by natural disasters in the period between 1993 and 2000 (the most by floods and earthquakes).

Institutional Level

Colombia was a pioneer in the region in the implementation of a systematic approach to the integrated management of disaster risk after the eruption and mud avalanche of Nevado del Ruiz in 1985. The National System for Disaster Prevention and Attention (SNPAD) has been developed and strengthened since then. They also account for some years with laws that provide risk prevention through an institutional framework for such purposes.

Here are some of the most important general rules of the National System for Disaster Prevention and Attention: -Decree 1547 of 1984: that created by the National Fund for Calamities such as financial tool in prevention, care and rehabilitation of emergencies and disasters in the country. -Act 46 of 1988: created the National System for Disaster Prevention and Attention. -Decree Law 919 of 1989: organized for the National System for Disaster Prevention and Response, which in turn established the National Office for the Prevention and Attention to Disasters (currently Directorate for Disaster Prevention and Response) would develop a National Plan for Prevention and Attention to Disasters. -Act 99 of 1993 which was organized by the National Environmental System. -Act 322 of 1996: which is created by the National Fire Department of Colombia. -Decree 93 of 1998: by adopting the National Plan for the Prevention and Attention to Disasters, which mandated goals as risk reduction and disaster prevention, effective response in the event of a disaster and the rapid recovery of affected areas . Moreover, identified as general strategies knowledge about risks of natural and anthropogenic origin, incorporating the prevention and reduction of risk in planning, strengthening the institutional development and socialization of the disaster prevention and mitigation.

Colombia has usually extensive regulation in subjects related to risk management, which covers issues such as housing, infrastructure, community participation, among others. On the other hand, there are specific contingency plans originated in a prior assessment of threats and vulnerabilities, whose purpose is to counteract the end or mitigate the effects of potential disasters. The country has a unit that is responsible for coordinating the actions of the National System for Disaster Prevention and Assistance, which is the Director for Disaster Prevention and Response, structurally dependent on the Ministry of Interior and Justice.

The National Planning Department is another institution which planned the actions that the different levels of government must advance to meet the protection of the population in economic, political and social.

Colombia advances in the design and financing of a strategy to define a policy on higher education in risk prevention. Through the SNPAD, has promoted the creation of a National Commission on Education in Disaster Prevention, which aims to define a national policy. Some universities offer master's or postgraduate courses in risk management, such as the University of Antioquia in Colombia, with its collaborating centre of PAHO/WHOat the School of Public Health, and a master's degree in social sciences and risk management. The Valley University in Bogota also has a comprehensive graduate program in risk management

Source: UN/ISDR The Americas.