I. Aims of and background to the diagnostic study

Since 1994, ECHO has financed many disaster prevention and preparedness operations (primarily for natural disasters) worldwide. Funding was provided in response to requests from NGOs and international organisations which carried out the operations themselves.

Evaluations of these operations have produced favourable assessments. However, ECHO wishes to increase its involvement in disaster prevention and preparedness and better target its actions in order to achieve greater overall coherence.

At its meeting of 16 July 1996, the Humanitarian Aid Committee approved the new regional approach proposed by ECHO for its disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness programme for 1996-98, to be called DIPECHO (Disaster Preparedness ECHO).

This programme is to be applied within regional frameworks and concentrates funding at first on Action Plans to aid the Caribbean, Central America, south-east Asia and Bangladesh. However, instead of simply responding to specific financing requests from NGOs, international organisations or governments, ECHO aims to draw up Action Plans and decide which partners are most appropriated for implementing them under the direction of ECHO itself. DIPECHO also aims to increase the efficiency of action as a whole in the European Union, through closely coordinating its action with that of the Commission and the Member States.

Finally, before Action Plans are drawn up there will be a diagnosis stage so as to identify, in each region, the hazards, response structures and policies already in place at community, national and regional levels; present and future external support will also be identified so as to decide what gaps there are and where and to assess the coherence and efficiency of response systems as a whole.

Against this background, a first exploratory mission was carried out from 30 September to 12 October 1996 in the Caribbean and Central America (four countries were visited) and resulted in a first report, (“Report on the exploratory mission in the Caribbean and in Central America for DIPECHO” by A. Angulo, Ch. Bugnion, Ph. Masure).

This report is very informative and in particular:

- it defines the conceptual framework, rightly stressing that prevention and preparedness ought to be distinguished from emergency aid and that they are part of a continual process in the same way as development;

- it introduces the main regional and international organisations and their activities in the field of prevention and preparedness;

- it highlights the greatest needs and provides some initial orientations for DIPECHO.

This report, which consists of the diagnostic study itself, follows a second series of missions to the same region and aims to complete the findings of the exploratory mission, in particular through:

- an analysis of disasters and their consequences;

- a comparative evaluation of risks in the region,

- a detailed analysis of what has been achieved and what is needed to reduce hazards and consequences of natural disasters;

- an examination of current conditions for a coherent, workable and effective DIPECHO programme, especially taking into consideration the current organisation of prevention and preparedness in the region, and an account of external support;

- proposals for priority lines of action for DIPECHO.

II. Methodology and scope

The diagnostic study is based on a significant volume of documentation: scientific work, studies and reports carried out by CRED, CIFEG, DHA, IDNDR, various local organisations (in particular the San Josocumentation centre) and European Universities (Universite Savoie, Chamb; Universite Lausanne).

The body of the report owes most however to the many discussions (nearly 200) which were held during the missions.

13 countries were visited between 22 January and 7 March 1997:

- Dominican Republic (C. Misson);

- Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Cuba (R. D’Ercole);

- Antigua, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Vincent and Guyana (Th. Lesales).

This choice of countries was made in collaboration with ECHO, CRED and CIFEG. It covers only half the countries which could theoretically have been visited. Due to time constraints and absences, it was not possible to visit all organisations working in the field of natural disaster prevention and preparedness. This means that the information gathered cannot be considered to be exhaustive. However, the choice of key countries, the contacts established with a number of regional organisations and the documentation consulted have made it possible to carry out an overall diagnostic study.

III. General characteristics of the study region

Figure 1 indicates the general characteristics (population, area, population density, urban population rates and political status) of the 27 countries or territories of Central America and the Caribbean which come under the DIPECHO programme. To complete the regional context, and by way of comparison, French and American overseas territories have also been included. Figures 2 and 3 show the location of all these countries.

The region as a whole has a population of nearly 70 million (65 million if Porto Rico, the American Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe and Martinique are not included) and an area of approximately 750,000 square kilometres.

The population is more or less equally divided between the Caribbean islands and Central America, but the latter has a larger area (69% of the whole). Population densities are thus higher in the Caribbean, especially in the Lesser Antilles (4.7% of the population in only 1.7% of the area).

Except for some countries (the Bahamas, Cuba and Trinidad...), urban population rates are relatively low compared with those found in industrialised countries or even in most Latin American States. However, as we will see in the analysis of vulnerability criteria, urbanisation rates are on the whole very high.

The political status of the countries displays great regional heterogeneity, especially in the Caribbean. This is an important aspect for DIPECHO to consider and will be analysed in this diagnostic study.

IV. Study plan

The study has three parts.

The first part is an analysis of disaster in terms of risks and consequences. It aims to show, with the aid of maps, the effects of natural disasters in Central America and the Caribbean, as well as the distribution and frequency of natural hazards and to analyse factors that determine vulnerability. The final aim is to determine risk levels in the region, taking into account natural dangers and vulnerability criteria.

The second part is a study of actions carried out in the region during the last few years, aimed at reducing the risks and consequences of disasters. This study makes it possible to identify gaps and needs. The different components in the disaster reduction process are outlined: scientific and technical research, prevention itself, preparedness and information/training. Emphasis is also placed on current methods of applying risk reduction policies: from the sector-based approach to the integrated approach.

The third part deals with current conditions for the implementation of a coherent and effective DIPECHO programme. Four main aspects are analysed: regional and national characteristics (heterogeneity and its consequences); institutional strengths and weaknesses at the various geographical levels; characteristics of organisations likely to contribute to the implementation of DIPECHO; present and future role of the European Community and the Member States.

Each part has a partial conclusion. The general conclusion takes the key ideas from the intermediary conclusions and recommends priority lines of action for DIPECHO.

V. Participants

The study delegated to CIFEG by CRED and ECHO was co-ordinated by Robert D’Ercole (Geography Department, Universite Savoie, Chamb, France).

He worked in collaboration with Thierry Lesales (Geography Department, Universites Antilles et de la Guyane, Martinique, France) and Patrick Pigeon (Geography Department, Universite Savoie, Chamb, France).

The following also contributed to this study: Claudine Misson (CRED, Belgium), Jean-Claude Napias (CIFEG Director), Jacques Giri (Chairman of CIFEG), Sylvie Orlyk (CIFEG secretariat).

CRED, several people we met in Brussels (ECHO, DG-I, DG-VIII) and nearly 200 local people, including Helena Molin (IDNDR Regional Office), also contributed to this work.

Fig. 1 - Political status, area and population density of countries in the Central America/Caribbean region.

	Population		Superficie		DensitB>
	Effectif	%	Effectif	%	(hab/km2)
Total Amque Centrale	33 149 000	48,0	522 760	69,0	63
Total Caras	35 931 000	52,0	234 940	31,0	153
Total secteur Grandes Antilles	32 656 000	47,3	221 850	29,3	147
Total secteur Petites Antilles	3 275 000	4,7	13 090	1.7	250
ENSEMBLE REGION	69 080 000	100,0	757 700	100,0	91

Amque Centrale	Statut	Population	Superficie	DensitB>	% pop urbaine
Belize	Ind. ACP	215 000	22 960	9	47
Costa Rica	Indndant	3 424 000	50 700	68	50
El Salvador	Indndant	5 768 000	21 040	274	45
Guatemala	Indndant	10 621 000	108 890	98	42
Honduras	Indndant	5 950 000	112 090	53	44
Nicaragua	Indndant	4 540 000	130 000	35	63
Panama	Indndant	2 631 000	77 080	34	53

Secteur des Grandes Antilles	Statut	Population	Superficie	DensitB>	% pop urbaine
Bahamas	Ind. ACP	276 000	13 930	20	86
Cuba	Indndant	11 041 000	110 860	100	76
Ha	Ind. ACP	7 180 000	27 750	259	32
Iles Can (PTOM)	RU	30 000	260	115	100
Iles Turks et Caicos (PTOM)	RU	15 000	430	35	....
Jamaique	Ind. ACP	2 530 000	10 990	230	54
Porto Rico	USA	3 674 000	8 900	413	73
Rblique Dominicaine	Ind. ACP	1 910 000	48 730	162	64

Secteur des Petites Antilles	Statut	Population	Superficie	DensitB>	% pop urbaine
Anguila (PTOM)	RU	8 000	90	89	....
Antigua et Barbuda	Ind. ACP	86 000	440	195	36
Antilles Nlandaises (PTOM)	PB	200 000	960	208	....
Aruba (PTOM)	PB	66 000	190	347	....
Barbade	Ind. ACP	255 000	430	593	47
Dominique	Ind. ACP	85 000	750	113	41
Grenade	Ind. ACP	80 000	340	235	....
Guadeloupe	France	428 000	1 780	240	99
Martinique	France	37 9000	1 100	345	93
Montserrat (PTOM)	RU	14 000	100	140	....
Saint-Kitts et Nevis	Ind. ACP	40 000	270	148	41
Saint-Vincent et les Grenadines	Ind. ACP	125 000	390	321	47
Sainte-Lucie	Ind. ACP	150 000	620	242	48
Trinidad et Tobago	Ind. ACP	1 240 000	5 130	242	72
Des Vierges Britanniques (PTOM)	RU	17 000	150	113	....
Iles Vierges USA	USA	102 000	350	291	....

Sources: l’Etat du Monde (Edition La Duverte, 1997)

Donn comples par:

- Madras, Dictionnaire Encyclopque de la Martinique, Editions Exbrayat, 1993
- Union Europne, Les Caras et l’Union Europne, 1995

Les chiffres de population correspondent aux derniers recensements utilisables rises es dates diffntes selon les pays (pour la plupart, depuis 1990).

Les territoires apparaissant en italiques n’entrent pas directement dans le programme DIPECHO.

Fig. 2 - The Caribbean Sea

(Source: Alain Musset. 1994)

Fig. 3 - The Lesser Antilles

(Source: Alain Musset. 1994)