On June 1-3, 2005, a workshop on the “Exchange of Successful Experiences of the Disasters Management Offices/Agencies of Countries of the Association of the Caribbean States (ACS)” was held in Havana, Cuba. This event was organized jointly by UNPD-Cuba, the ACS and the Cuban Civil Defense Agency.

Among the participants were Mr. Jan Egelan, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, and Ms. Elena Martínez, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The workshop represented a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge on and share successful experiences in risk management with countries with more limited capacities. This led to a two-way exchange among a number of disaster management offices of ACS countries, in particular concerning the following issues:

The event gathered representatives from 11 ACS Member States, 2 AEC associated members, 2 regional organizations and 15 delegates from the following international organizations: UN/OCHA, UNDP, ISDR, CDERA, IFRD, OES, PAHO/WHO, ECLAC, ECHO, OECS, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNEP and UNFPA.

A CD-ROM was produced to compile the presentations delivered during this three-day workshop, including the ones made by the ACS Member States, as well as by regional and international organizations. The final document of this meeting was entitled “Havana Consensus” and it is available at www.isdr.org.
The following is a detailed list of the presentations delivered during this workshop:

• Havana Consensus
• Annex to the Havana Consensus
• Speech by Elena Martínez, UNDP
• Speech by the Head of National Staff of the Cuban Civil Defense Agency
• Closing remarks by Elena Martínez, UNDP
• Closing Remarks by the Head of the Cuban National Civil Defense Agency
• CDERA’s presentation: Policies, Systems and Successful Experiences in Risk and Disaster Management in the Caribbean
• Colombia’s presentation
• Cuba: Experiences of the Cuban National Civil Defense Agency in Responding to Natural Hazards
• Costa Rica’s Experience
• Guadeloupe: Natural Risks and Forecast of Cyclones’ Paths
• Guadeloupe: Policies, Systems and Successful Experiences in Risk Management in the Caribbean
• Guatemala: Policies, Systems and Successful Experiences in Risk and Disaster Management
• Guatemala: Disaster Preparedness and Regional Actions to Face Natural Hazards
• Haiti: Risk and Disaster Management in Haiti
• Jamaica: Policies, Systems and Successful Experiences in Risk Management in the Caribbean
• Mexico: Policies, Systems and Successful Experiences in Risk Management
• Venezuela: Successful Experiences in Risk and Disaster Management
• UNFPA: Assistance in Emergency Situations
• ECLAC: Recent Lessons Learned: Emphasis on Preparedness Measures
• Cuba: Early Warning Systems in Cuba
• OCHA’s Introduction
• ECHO: Disasters 2004. Annual Magazine.
• The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies : Tools for Risk Reduction and Response
• OCHA’s presentation
• PAHO/WHO: Preparedness and Response
• UNEP/ROLAC: The Role of UNEP/ROLAC in the Regional Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action
• UNDP: How UNDP Helps Countries in the Field of Disaster Preparedness and Response. Links through Development
• The UN World Food Programme
• CDERA: The Kingston Declaration / Action Plan for the Caribbean
• ECLAC: A Critical Route to Live with Risk; Do not Live at
Risk
• ECHO: Introduction to DIPECHO’s Action Plans
• FAO: The Role of FAO in Emergency Situations
• The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: “Rough Season” Soap Opera
• ISDR: The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015
• PAHO/WHO: Implementation of Hyogo’s Health Recommendations in Latin America and the Caribbean
• Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries
• UNDP’s Support to Implement the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) in the Caribbean
• Report on the “Seminar-Workshop for National Authorities: Risk Management Policies, Systems and Experiences in the Caribbean”