Venezuela
From HFA-PEDIA
Contents |
HFA National Reports
National Report 2008: National Progress Report 2008 (HFA Monitor, Spanish)
National Report 2007: not reported
National Report 2006: not reported
National Report 2005: not reported
National Report 2004: National Report in preparation for WCDR (2004) - Venezuela (Spanish)
National platform:
National Platform composed of members of National Civil Protection.
Civil Protection national authorities of Venezuela organized a capacity-building, training and political lobbying workshop from 22 to 24 November 2007 in Caracas, with participation on behalf of UN/ISDR's Regional unit for the Americas, in which the country’s main priority lines of action within the context of the Hyogo Framework for Action were analyzed and the legal and administrative issues needed to set up a fully functional multi-sectoral national platform were identified along with the outline for a plan of action. The workshop gathered a variety of Venezuelan government institutions while broad attention was given to press and mass media. UN/ISDR's Regional unit for the Americas provided strong guidance and inputs on the national platform discussions.
HFA National Focal Point
Dirección Nacional de Protección Civil y Administración de Desastres
Address: Av. Rufino Blanco Fombona, cruce con calle Rafael Arvelo, Santa Mónica. Caracas, Venezuela
Contact Person: Luis Díaz Curbelo, Director Nacional (National Director)
Tel: +58 212 662 6759 / +58 416 610 5403 / Fax: +58 212 662 66 19
E-mail: lcurvelo@pcivil.gob.ve / diazcurvelo@hotmail.com
URL: www.pcivil.gob.ve
Alternative Contact(s) / Technical Focal Point(s)
Dirección Nacional de Protección Civil y Administración de Desastres
Contact Person: Ing. Herly Benítez, Director de Gestión del Riesgo (Director of Risk Management)
Tel: +58 212 753 7799 / +58 416 608 8324 / Fax: +58 212 753 77 99
E-mail: dgriesgo@pcivil.gob.ve / dgriesgo@gmail.com
Dirección Nacional de Protección Civil y Administración de Desastres
Contact Person: Yetty Olivar Márquez, Directora de Relaciones Interinstitucionales e Internacionales (Director of Interinstitutional and International Relations)
Tel: +58 212 751 0272 / +58 416 610 5407 / Fax: +58 212 753 77 99
E-mail: dinternacionales@pcivil.gob.ve
Other contacts
Permanent Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations in Geneva
Chief:
His Excellency Mr. German Mundarain Hernandez
Ambassador
Permanent Representative
Address: Chemin François-Lehmann 18a, 1218 Grand-Saconnex
Tel: +(41-22) 717-0940, Fax: +(41-22) 723-2881
E-mail: mission.venezuela@ties.itu.int
URL: http://www.onuginebra.gob.ve
UN System Coordination
UN Resident Coordinator
Mr. David McLachlan-Karr
UN Resident Coordinator / UNDP Resident Representative
Tel: +(58-212) 208-4303 / 208-4488, Fax: + (58-212) 263-8179 / 208-4372
E-mail: david.mclachlan-karr@undp.org
UN Country Team
Mr. David McLachlan-Karr: Resident Coordinator, UN System
Mr. John Fredrikson: Regional Representative, UNHCR
Mr. Renato Gusmao: Regional Representative, PAHO/WHO
Mrs. Nadya Vásquez: Resident Representative, UNICEF
Mrs. Ana Lúcia Gazzola: Director, UNESCO
Mr. Francisco Arias Milla: Resident Representative, FAO
Mr. Luiza Carvalho: Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP
Mrs. Marisol Füves de Pérez: Chief of Mision, a. i., IOM
Mr. Jesús Robles: Assistant Representative, UNFPA
Mrs. María Colmenares: Liason Officer, World Bank
Mr. Eduardo Fuenmayor: Communications Assistant, UN System
Mr. Daniel Mora: Coordination Support, UN/DGO/Coordination Capacity Support
UNDP
Contact Person: David McLachlan-Karr, Resident Representative UNDP
Address: Av. Francisco de Miranda, Torre HP, Piso 6, Of. 6-A, Los Palos Grandes, Apartado 69005, Caracas 1062 - Venezuela
Tel: 00582 12 - 208 4444, Fax: 00582 12 - 263 8179
E-mail: registry.ve@undp.org / recepcion.ven@undp.org
Website: www.pnud.org.ve
PAHO/WHO Field Office:
Contact person: Dr. Renato d'Affonseca Gusmão, PAHO/WHO Representative
Address: Oficina Sanitaria Panamericana, Avenida Sexta entre 5a. y 6a. transversal, Altamira, Caracas 1010, Venezuela / Apartado 6722, Carmelitas, Caracas 1010, Venezuela
Phone: (+58-212) 267-1622/262-2085/265-0403 / Fax: 261-6069; 262-0718
E-mail: e-mail@ven.ops-oms.org
Website: www.ops-oms.org.ve
Other
Latin American Economic System (SELA)
Contact Person: Mr. Javier Gordon, Program Director
Address: Avda. Francisco de Miranda, Edf. Torre Europa, piso 5, Mun Chacao, Caracas, Venezuela.
Tel:(+58-212) 9557137/9557111
E-mail: jgordon@sela.org
URL: www.sela.org/sela/sela.asp
Venezuelan Red Cross
Address: Cruz Roja Venezolana, Av. Andrés Bello Nro. 4, Caracas 1010, Venezuela
Tel: (+58-212)5714380/5765425
URL: http://www.cruzrojavenezolana.org/
Ministry of Environment
Address: Centro Simon Bolivar, Torre Sur Plaza, Caracas 1010, Venezuela
Tel: (+58-212)408-11-11
URL: http://www.minamb.gob.ve/
Ministry of Education
Address: Esq. de Salas a Caja de Agua, Edif.Sede del ME, Parroquia Altagracia, Caracas 1010, Dtto. Capital, Venezuela.
Tel: (+58-212) 506-89-99 / 506-89-98
Ministry of Science and Technology:
Address: Av. Universidad. Esquina El Chorro. Torre MCT. Caracs 1010, Venezuela
Tel: (+58-212) 2103401 al 10 / Fax: (58212) 2103536
E-mail: mct@mct.gob.ve
Ministry of Agriculture and Land:
Address: Av. Urdaneta entre esquina Platanal a Candilito a media cuadra de la Plaza la candelaria, Parroquia la Candelaria - Caracas - Venezuela
Ministry of Energy and Mines:
Address: Ministerio de Energía y Petróleo de Venezuela, Edificio PETROLEOS DE VENEZUELA,Torre Oeste, Av. Libertador con Av. Empalme, Urb. La Campiña, Parroquia El Recreo, Caracas, Distrito Capital - Venezuela.
Tel: (+58-212) 708-7045/7043/7044
Ministry of Health
Address: Centro Simon Bolivar. Edif. Sur. Portal Municipal. El Silencio-Caracas, Distrito Federal. Venezuela.
Phone: (+58-212) 4080000.
E-mail: mpps@mpps.gob.ve
Website: http://www.mpps.gob.ve/
Foundation for Educational Building and Furniture, (FEDE):
Address: Esq Salas, Ministerio de Educación, piso 4, Altagracia, Caracas 1010, Venezuela.
Techical contact: Arq. Colomba Trotta, Conservation and Maintenance Director.
Phone: (+58-212) 5642564/5641579
E-mail: ctrtta@fede.gob.ve
Website: http://www.fede.gob.ve/
Venezuelan Seismic Research Foundation (FUNVISIS)
Address: Av. Guaicaipuro con calle Tiuna, prolongación calle Mara, Qta Funvisis El LLanito Caracas-Venezuela. Apartado Postal 76880 - El Marqués, Caracas 1070, Venezuela.
Contact Person: Ing. Gustavo Malavé, President.
Phone: (+58-212) 257-7672/5153/9346/2561/(+58-212)258-0308/0693 Fax: (+58-212) 257-9977/9084/9860
E-mail: info@funvisis.gob.ve
Website:www.funvisis.org.ve/
Foundation for the Prevention of Seismic Risk (FUNDAPRIS):
Address: Universidad de lso Andes, Mérida - Venezuela.
Contact Person: Jaime Lafaille.
Phone: (+58-274) 2442076/2401338
E-mail: sismo@.ula.ve
Website: http://celeste.ciens.ula.ve/
Commission for the Risk Mitigation, Central University of Venezuela(COMIR/UCV):
Address: Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Rectorado, Los Cahguaramos, Caracas, Venezuela.
Contact person: Arq. Mercedes Marrero MSc.
Phone: (+58-212) 6052046/6052048
E-mail: mmarrero1@gmail.com
Website: www.ucv.ve/comir/
Environmental Integral Studies Centre, Central University of Venezuela (CENAMB/UCV):
Address: Urb. Santa Mónica. Calle Gil Fortoul. Entre Simón Planas y A. Hahn. Quinta CENAMB. Apdo. Postal 17350 Caracas 101. Venezuela.
Contact Person: Geo. Jesus Delgado MSc.
Phone: (+58-212) 693-9414/6628031/662-5938
E-mail: cenamb@ucv.ve jdelgad@cantv.net
Website: www.ucv.ve/cenamb.htm
Experimental University of Pedagogy Libertador (UPEL):
Address: Av. Sucre, Parque del Oeste "Jovito Villalba", Catia, Caracas, C.P. 1030
Contact Person: Dra Yolanda Barrientos, Dr Maximiliano Bezada, Prof. Jose Guillermo Sierra Rodriguez.
Phone: (+58-212) 864-7511 / Fax: (+58-212) 864-7977
E-mail: sierra2000@cantv.net / Preventologo@yahoo.es / henrypacheco2005@yahoo.es / henrypacheco2005@yahoo.es
Website: www.upel.edu.ve/
Research Risk Center, University of Falcon (CIR-UDEFA):
Address: Av. Ollarvides, Sector Doña Emilia. Frente a la Urbanización Los Caciques. Edificio UDEFA. Punto Fijo Edo. Falcón, Venezuela.
Contact person: Juan Murria, Director CIR-UDEFA
Phone:(+58-269) 2466349/2472431 / Fax:(+58-269)2476971
Website: www.udefa.edu.ve/
Country Profile
Official name: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Capital: Caracas
Population: 27.483.200 million
Total area: 916.445 sq km
Languages: Spanish, indigenous lenguages
Government: Democracy participative
Religion: nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Ethnic Groups: Mestizo 67%, 21% White, 10% Black, Indigenous 2%
Currency: Bolivar
Geographical Description (about hazards and disasters)
Venezuela is located in the northern part of South America. Its geographical boundaries are: Caribbean Sea (north), Colombia and Brazil (south), Guyana (east) and Colombia (west). This country is a federal republic divided into 23 states, the Capital District (which includes the city of Caracas) and 72 Federal Dependencies (islands, mostly uninhabited).
Despite the fact that Venezuela is a country located on seismic area and that 80% of its population and activities are recorded on areas subject to risks of various kinds (seismic, hidrogeodinámico, geodynamic, climate, etc.), there has been no policy public or national strategies in terms of risk prevention and disaster to effectively address situations of this nature. However, as a result of landslides produced in different states, particularly in Vargas in December 1999, radically changed the picture, in terms of priority and attention that the state must give the matter.
In Venezuela, almost 50% of the states that make up its territory contains areas shaped by retroexpansivos soil, which in turn almost entirely coincide with the area of greatest population concentration and seismicity in the country, the central region - North Coastal and the Andes Mountains. In Venezuela is supporting a process that was happening in the educational system, in the sense of incorporating prevention in the curriculum and in the design and construction of school buildings.
Institutional Setting
There are a number policies, strategies and regulations surrounding disaster risk reduction in Venezuela.
The current Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela provides for the administration of risk management and emergencies under the mandate of the National Public /Legislative Power of the National Public Power, as well as the Law of the National Civil Protection and Disaster Management Organization.
Currently in the creation of a National System of Civil Protection and Risk Management as well as a proposed Risk Management Act as part of development planning.
Also being developed is a multidisciplinary and multisectoral process in order to incorporate risk management and disaster reduction within social and economic development planning. Within this process these is participation of all related ministers (Environment and Natural Resources, Science and Technology, Education, Culture and Sports, Higher Education, Lands and Agriculture, Mining and Energy, Health and Social Development, Interior and Justice and Affairs); as well as private businesses from sectors such as water and water resources (HIDROVEN) and from the petroleum sector (PDVSA) and other entities and related academic institutions such as the Simon Bolivar Geographic Institute and universities. At the Andean regional level, Venezuela participates in the Andean Committee for Disaster Prevention and Response (CAPRADE in Spanish) as the agency that has developed the Andean Strategy for Disaster Prevention and Response.
Coordination efforts at the national level are conducted through the National Coordinating Committee for Civil Protection and Disaster Management, which is made up of all the offices of the National Executive and that brings together all sectors and levels of government, with the participation of representation of the state governors, mayors and NGOs, as well as the National Coordinating Office of Fire and Emergency Management agencies of a civil nature. Furthermore, the National Coordinating Committee also provides for the establishment of sectoral technical subcommittees and task forces for specialized actions and measures on civil protection and disaster management.
Also worth noting is the work of the Intersectoral Technical Committee, consisting of all entities concerned with the planning of economic and social development, despite not having yet been institutionalized, this committee continues working on the identification of institutional powers and responsibilities in risk management and disaster reduction.
Sources: UNISDR Americas / CIA Factbook / Venezuelan Government Website
Urban indicators
| Indicator | 2030 |
| Total population (thousands) | 37,149.2 |
| Population in urban (thousands) | 35,871.9 |
| Population in slums (thousands) | N/A |
| Population in urban areas (% of total population) | 96.6 |
| Population in slums (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Annual urban population growth rate (%) | N/A |
| Annual slum population growth rate (%) | N/A |
| Population with access to improved sanitation (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with access to improved water (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with sufficient living area (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with durable structures (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population in rural (thousands) | 1,277.3 |
- Source: UN-Habitat - The data presented here is extracted from UN-HABITAT's Global Urban Indicators database.
- The data is drawn from different sources and based on 2030 estimates.
Recent progress in implementing HFA
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Statement made at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (2009) (Spanish only)
An Official Statement made by Diego Ibarra Martinez, Third Secretary, Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Bolivarian Rep of Venezuela, at the second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, June 2009.
(Source: Official statement to the Global Platform 2009)
Aspects mentioned at GP09:
- Call for sharing technical support from all DRR involved institutions, as well as to create forums for discussions in order to pursue the HFA objectives.
Concrete advancements and achievements mentioned at GP09:
- PA1: National Platform created in 2007, main achievement is to connect the local communities with the institutions pursuing the HFA
- Change of paradigm from an expecting vision of disasters to one of prevention. With this new approach institutions that previously had helped only in emergencies are now involved in prevention as well.
- PA5: A Working Group for DRR has been created with the countries from the Rio Group.
HFA P1 - Institutional and legal framework
HFA P2 - Risk identification and EWS:
HFA P3 - Knowledge and education:
HFA P4 - Risk applications: N/A
HFA P5 - Preparedness and response:
Web Links
PreventionWeb: Venezuela - Disaster Statistics
Venezuela Coordination Profile; United Nations Development Group (includes Common Country Assessment - CCA, United Nations Development Assistance Framework - UNDAF, MDG Reports, UN Country Team, Resident Coordinator Office and more)
PreventionWeb Country Profile - Natural Disaster - Venezuelan Data and Statistics
ReliefWeb Countries and Emergencies - Venezuela
EM-DAT Countries and Emergencies - Venezuela
Andean Corporation of Encouragement (CAF)
Disaster Prevention in the Andean Community - PREDECAN
Government of Venezuela online
Official website Venezuelan Risk
Geographic Institute Simon Bolivar
National Center for Hidrometeorologycal Warning and Forecast (CENAPH)
Venezuela's Website on the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change
