5 / RRI / SUBNATIONAL-LEVEL ANALYSIS OF THE CONDITIONS AND CAPACITIES FOR RISK REDUCTION Dominican Republic country profile 5.7

After the economic reforms undertaken in recent years in a stable political environment, the Dominican Republic has undergone a sustained pace of economic growth leading to increased domestic consumption. However, the current economic crisis has adversely affected the country because of its dependence, in large part, on foreign investment, remittances from and exports to the United States.

5.7.1 Selected RTU

Monte Cristi Puerto Plata Monte Cristi Duarte Dajabon Mao Puerto Plata Santiago Duarte DajabonSabaneta Mao Salcedo Nagua MocaSantiago Samana HAITI Sabaneta Salcedo Nagua La MocaVega HAITI Cotui Samana La Vega Elias Pina San Juan Cotui Monte Plata Bonao El Seibo Bavaro MonteHato MayorPlata Elias Pina San Juan Bonao El SeiboHiguey Jimani Neiba Bavaro Azua Hato MayorSan Pedro de Macoris Higuey La Romana Jimani Neiba Azua DistritoSan Pedro de Macoris Bani Pedernales NacionalDistrito La Romana BarahonaBani Pedernales Barahona Nacional DOMINICAN REPUBLIC DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RTU Duarte A mountain range and the Yuna River run through damage to productive infrastructure due to poor soil the Province of Duarte. Composed of seven drainage capacity, slope inclines and the low-lying municipalities, this region has a population river delta area. These characteristics cause the dependent primarily on agriculture (coffee, cacao, rivers and streams to overflow, especially in rainy banana and rice), as well as cattle farming, trade season. There is also a high-risk of earthquakes due and industry. Frequent floods cause constant to the region’s location along the northern fault.

RTU Barahona This province, composed of eleven municipalities, del Sur river basin) and its position close to the is characterised by its strong economic sea; soil erosion and the proximity of the Cabral development in agriculture, mining, industry lagoon, which is in constant danger of joining with and tourism activities. There are also economic the Yaque del Sur River and flooding the towns activities related to the industrial port and the and communities in between. Desertification is textile industry. It is highly exposed to hurricanes, also a serious threat, and although located on the tropical cyclones and floods, caused mainly by Trinchera de los Muertos seismic fault, it is only at deforestation (of particular concern in the Yaque a medium risk of earthquakes.

RTU Distrito Nacional Originally, the capital of the Dominican Republic to rural-urban migration and the construction of was Santo Domingo. However, the National District improvised shelters with no urban planning or basic (Distrito Nacional) has become the nation’s capital, water supply and drainage. The earthquake threat and Santo Domingo is a province consisting of in this RTU is medium, despite being on the Sistema seven municipalities. In this RTU, floods pose a del Sur seismic fault that extends to the south of serious threat to the population and infrastructure, Haiti. In this RTU, cyclones and tropical storms are especially in the many slums of Santo Domingo frequent and droughts occur mainly in the southern located near the Ozama e Isabela River and region caused by rapid urbanisation and the high connected creeks and streams. In these areas, the demand for water from the new population. size of the vulnerable population has increased due

5.7.2 Risk Drivers RISK DRIVER 1: Environmental Degradation In the three RTUs, the aspects of environmental environmental degradation is considered degradation that most affect risk management inadequate, mainly due to a lack of resources. In are identified as the overexploitation of soil, the three RTUs, climate variations have been noted, deforestation and overexploitation of water especially in precipitation and drought cycles, and resources. The government’s response to extreme and average temperatures.

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CHART G: QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BY RISK DRIVER

10 MAXIMUM SCORE 8

6 AVERAGE SCORE 4 4,21 3,81 3,59 3,67 2

MINIMUM 0 SCORE ENVIRONMENTAL socioeconOmic TERRITORIAL GOVERNANCE Source: DARA DegraDATION CondiTions ORGANIZATION

RISK DRIVER 2: Socioeconomic Conditions The socioeconomic conditions that undermine the protection mechanisms to reduce levels of success of risk management in the three RTUs poverty, lack of economic support to improve are unemployment, poverty and limited access food security and insufficient financial security to water and drainage services. Weaknesses in mechanisms (insurance, loans) to promote capacity include the ineffectiveness of social economic development.

RISK DRIVER 3: Territorial Organisation The main factors associated with territorial or fragile areas. The inadequate incorporation organisation that prevent effective risk reduction in of DRR strategies in land use plans and public all three RTUs include the inappropriate location and investments, and non-compliance with construction low quality of housing and land occupation in unsafe codes and norms are also negative factors.

RISK DRIVER 4: Governance Corruption, high levels of bureaucracy, lack of Problems include coordination among different levels of government, poor intersectoral centralisation in decision-making and lack of institutional capacity are highlighted in all and interinstitutional three RTUs as having negative effects on risk coordination, lack management. DRR instruments and mechanisms are considered adequate in the three RTUs, but of enforcement of they are not effectively implemented. Additionally, risk management civil society participation in local development processes is low and decision-making on regulations and TOO development issues is not considered transparent. few resources for the implementation of DRR plans 5.7.3 Summary

In the Dominican Republic, according to reduction risk plans, but they act independently), questionnaire results in the three RTUs, the poor application of risk management regulations low level of inter-sectoral and inter-institutional and limited budgets to implement DRR plans were coordination (all levels of government have identified as the greatest challenges for DRR.

In the Dominican Republic workshop, Based on these recommendations, a few participants of all three RTUs agreed on the concrete actions are suggested to improve importance of governmental efficiency and DRR in each RTU: effectiveness and coordination among different levels of government. They identified a number RTU Barahona of recommendations at the national level: • Implementation of the Strategic Plan for the Renewal and Development of Barahona and • Promote DRR as a cross-cutting issue in neighbouring areas. public policies and allocate necessary • Recuperation and dredging of Cabral lagoon. financial resources. • Support for environmental projects. • Ensure correct implementation of risk • Capacity building and empowerment management regulations. of citizens. • Improve the level of inter-sectoral, inter- agency and inter-institutional coordination RTU Duarte (there are inter-agency coordination • Technical strengthening of local structures, such as the National Emergency governments. Commission and the Provincial and • Promotion of land use and development plans. Municipal Committees for Prevention and • Improvement of citizen training on DRR. Disaster Preparedness, but they do not • Creation of a fund to promote risk function properly). management. • Improve institutional capacity for DRR. • Promote the creation of national and local RTU Distrito Nacional land use plans. • Improvement of inter-institutional • Empower local authorities through the coordination. decentralisation of resources and decision- • Improvement of public investment in land making power to improve the efficiency of use planning. risk management activities. • Improvement of land use management • Promote the roles of the Ministry of instruments and sanctions. Economy, Planning and Development in defining a framework for action on DRR and the Ministry of Finance in integrating DRR in ministry budgets.

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