Disaster Risk Management and Institutional Response to the COVID-19 Crisis

Disaster Risk Management and Institutional Response to the COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract

The national risk, disaster and emergency management systems of the Americas and the Caribbean countries are involved in different ways and assuming diverse commitments in the management of the COVID-19 crisis. In some of them, their participation has not been planned or prepared and their action has been unequal in many ways: from countries where the Systems have had an important role, to countries where they have had practically no intervention. The emergency or disaster laws of many countries have been activated as the basis for actions taken during and after the emergency.

This webinar seeks to promote debate and critical reflection on the role and scope of national systems in the current COVID-19 crisis, and its moments of health emphasis and economic recovery, and provide lessons or guidelines for the future. Our invited speakers are all former heads of national or regional risk, disaster and emergency management systems, or former high-level government officials with experience in this domain.

Description of the Webinar

The speakers will analyse the role that some disaster risk management systems have played and the apparent invisibility of others in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, the powers and limits of action of the systems and the challenges and opportunities that the current situation offers to strengthen disaster risk reduction in the region in a systemic way.

The seminar will have the participation of Omar Dario Cardona, former director of the National System in Colombia; Fernando Traversa, former head of the Uruguay system and Ronald Jackson former Executive Secretary of CDEMA. Raquel Lejtreger (RAR 2020) will focus from a recent perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of the Systems in the Americas and the Caribbean region in fulfilling their traditional roles in disaster response. Allan Lavell will address some unknowns and central questions to consider the performance of the systems. Elisabeth Mansilla, coordinator of RAR2020, will lead the debate and reflection and will present final comments. The substantive comments on the speakers' interventions will be made by Rolando Durán, former secretary of CEPREDENAC.

Agenda and structure

1. Welcome - Carlos Uribe and opening remarks - Raul Salazar (UNDRR)
2. Introduction to the webinar Elizabeth Mansilla
3. Interactive panel discussion on the topic: THE INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS: EXPERIENCES WITH NATIONAL RISK, DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

• Central aspects of the analysis of roles and functions  

Allan Lavell

• Retrospective of the role of national risk and emergency management systems 

Raquel Lejtreger - RAR 2020 team| UNDRR

Perspectives from national and regional experiences on the role systems in charge of risk and disaster management play  

• Omar Dario Cardona - COLOMBIA
• Fernando Traversa - URUGUAY
• Ronald Jackson - CARIBBEAN REGION
• Reflection on the role of national risk and emergency management systems in major crises. Rolando Duran

Moderator and debate leader: Elisabeth Mansilla

4. Q&A - Elisabeth Mansilla
5. Summary and closure - Elisabeth Mansilla