CDEMA Council endorses the regional Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy 2014-2024

The CDM Strategy for the period 2014-2024 and its implementation plan and performance management framework were endorsed and roll out will commence on September 1, 2014. According to CDEMA’s Executive Director, Ronald Jackson, this new strategy has positioned the CDEMA System to deliver on the vision of a safer more resilient Caribbean through CDM. Mr. Jackson further explained that the results driven strategy focuses on the integrated management of risk associated with all hazards including those related to climate change. Additionally, the stakeholder target for the 2007-2012 strategy has expanded to include finance and economic planning as well as physical and environmental planning. Mr. Jackson, pointed out that accountability and reporting is a major feature of the implementation plan and a Monitoring and Evaluation and Reporting (MER) system will be in place to track the progress of the strategy.

Endorsements were also received for the Regional Disaster Response Support Doctrine and the Model Organisation Structure for National Disaster Offices. The Doctrine seeks to strengthen response coordination in several areas including the creation of a region wide pool of trained personnel, with the requisite skills to assist National Disaster Coordinators in National Emergency Operations Centre. It also addresses the harmonization of international support with the regional disaster response. With regard to the Model Organisation Structure for National Disaster Offices, this advocates a structure that is appropriate for advancing CDM. Council’s endorsement paves the way for Participating States to move ahead with adopting the model to their local requirements.

Financing the operations of the regional disaster agency in what has been described by the CDEMA Executive Director, as a “resource constraining environment” was also among the key issues discussed.

CDEMA receives funding for its operations from the annual contributions of Participating States and through funding from donors, development partners and other agencies. Given the prevailing economic climate and the challenges being experienced by member states to meet their annual commitments, CDEMA is also exploring options for sustainable financing. These include the establishment of an Endowment Fund and the introduction and offering of fee-based services to the private sector and to NGOs.

A Pre-Council Symposium on the Integration of Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) was held on Thursday, June 26 and the recommendations going to the Council were discussed in-depth. Among the several agreements reached were: Participating States need to institutionalize the treatment of risk at the national level, the need for appropriate strengthening of the enabling environment for DRR and CCA, and to encourage Ministries of Finance and Economic Development to take a leading role in integrating DRR and CCA into national and regional planning to promote resilience and sustained economic development.

The Council is the highest level of governance of CDEMA and major decisions on its operations are made as required by this body. The Council meets annually during the month of June. The Heads of Government or their designated representatives with responsibilities for disaster management attend the annual Meetings.

The 5th meeting of the CDEMA Council was presided over by the incoming chairman of the CDEMA Council the Honorable Adriel Braithwaite, Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Barbados.

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