DISCLAIMER The views expressed herein are entirely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of any donors, project partners, the Organization of American States, its General Secretariat or its Member States. COPYRIGHT NOTICE © (2010) General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS). Published by the Department of Sustainable Development. All Rights reserved under International and Pan-American Conventions. No portion or the contents may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher and the General Secretariat of the OAS. OAS Cataloging-in-Publication Data Country profiles : information and communication technologies : applying information and communication technologies for disaster mitigation in the Central American isthmus and the Dominican Republic / [prepared by the Department of Sustainable Development of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States]. p. : ill. ; cm. (OAS official records ; OEA/Ser.D/XXIII.4)(OEA documentos oficiales ; OEA/ Ser.D/XXIII.4) ISBN 978-0-8270-5469-1 1. Information resources management--Natural disasters--Central America. 2. Information resources management--Natural disasters--Dominican Republic. 3. Information technology--Central America. 4. Information technology--Dominican Republic. 5. Communication--Central America. 6. Communication- -Dominican Republic. I. Organization of American States. Department of Sustainable Development. II. Series. III. Series. OEA documentos oficiales ; OEA/Ser.D/XXIII. T58.62.C4 P47 2010 OEA/Ser.D/XXIII.4 Eng This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada Country Profiles: Information and CommunicationTechnologies Applying Information and Communication Technologies for Disaster Mitigation in the Central American Isthmus and the Dominican Republic 3 PRESENTATION: “Country Profiles: Information and be included as supplemental information in Communication Technologies” consists the country profiles presented by the Inter- of a brief presentation by country of the American Network for Disaster Mitigation technological, institutional and regulatory (INDM). frameworks supporting the development of the Information and Communication Technologies The information was obtained through desk in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, work, using the ICT statistics from official Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican sources as the main source of information, Republic. Each profile is accompanied by a and through systematic internet-based review general introduction to the national context of of the legislation, regulations and institutions disaster risk and an institutional and regulatory related to the thematic area of ICTs. A special framework analysis related to disaster risk effort was made to include the direct links to reduction. This publication is one of the final the information source available online through products of the project: “Applying Information the internet. and Communication Technologies for Disaster These profiles are intended to provide an Mitigation in the Central American Isthmus” overview of the development in terms of (hereinafter “the Project”), implemented by regulations and supports related to ICTs, in the Department of Sustainable Development order to assess and measure the opportunities of the Secretariat of the Organization of for the most specific application of ICTs in the American States (OAS/DSD), and funded field of disaster risk reduction. In that respect, by the International Development Research the country profiles are not necessarily Center (IDRC), through the Inter-American comprehensive nor do they claim to be the Institute for Connectivity (ICA). state of the art in the field, but instead, can The objective of this study is to support the be used as a context for the basic objectives development of the Project’s sustainability of the Project. On the other hand, in an area strategy as well as to provide a context as dynamic as ICTs, any descriptive attempt for the formulation of the Project´s Policy of what is currently happening in the countries Document. Similarly, these profiles will be an has a high probability of becoming outdated organic part of the website with access to the very quickly. Therefore, these profiles should ICT georeferenced online catalogue applied be considered as a complement for all the final to disaster mitigation, and will possibly products of the Project and not as an isolated product. Presentation 3 Background and justification 7 Description 9 Profile Structure 15 Introduction to the topic of Information and Communication 13 Technologies Main technologies identified as common to the various countries in the region and three of the main institutions related to the topic of applying ICTs to disaster mitigation General characteristics of ICTs and its application to disaster mitigation in the Central American region and in the Dominican Republic Country profile: Belize 16 Country profile: Costa Rica 25 Country profile: El Salvador 34 Country profile: Guatemala 45 TABLE OF CONTENTS: Country profile: Nicaragua 55 Country profile: Panama 65 Country profile: Dominican Republic 76 References 88 Annexes 89 Country Profiles: Information and CommunicationTechnologies Applying Information and Communication Technologies for Disaster Mitigation in the Central American Isthmus and the Dominican Republic 7 GENERAL INFORMATION BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION Background The Department of Sustainable Development With the development of Information and (OAS/DSD) of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Communication Technologies (ICTs), a great deal Development (SEDI) of the General Secretariat of information and knowledge is available, including of the OAS is currently implementing a Risk the information generated by satellite systems Management Program (RISK-MACC) as part of the for terrestrial and atmospheric observation and activities intended to provide technical assistance other remote sensors, gathered by government to the OAS Member States for the development of agencies, private data and information providers, Natural Disaster Risk Management public policies. among others. To that end and within such Program’s framework, the OAS/DDS recently created an Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM) with the The use of ICTs for disaster mitigation responds to financial support of the Canadian government, the following needs: through its Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). a. Access and distribution of data: met through institutional strengthening, capacity-building, Reduction of vulnerability to natural risks, education and public awareness, active contingency planning and preparedness for involvement of the affected communities extreme events, and natural disaster mitigation and inter-agency coordination, at all levels demand “good” governance in order to coordinate and among all levels - local, national and efforts among a great number of governmental international; and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private enterprises, and civil society as a whole, b. Search for creative approaches: in order to including members of the communities located improve the preparedness and response furthest away from the capitals. This requires a mechanisms so as to reduce the vulnerability broad range of data and information ranging from to natural risks, particularly floods and risk and vulnerability mapping, evaluation of losses droughts, which represent a high impact topic and damages, scientific data and knowledge in development; and - including existing knowledge, knowledge of natural phenomena, such as El Niño Southern c. Timely availability of information: about Oscillation (ENSO), and regional and local climate the occurrence of extreme meteorological change scenarios, through early warnings and phenomena, in order to help the rural contingency and preparedness plans. communities to be prepared to cope with these kinds of events. Country Profiles: Information and CommunicationTechnologies Applying Information and Communication Technologies for Disaster Mitigation in the Central American Isthmus and the Dominican Republic 8 Justification The Project addresses the OAS/DSD on developing and implementing risk self- responsibilities emanating from the General assessment tools and systems…” Assembly and the Summit Process of the Americas. Specifically, this Project responds to AG/RES. The Project also responds to the mandates 2314 (XXXVII-O/07), which instructs the General emanating from the Santa Cruz Summit on Secretariat, through the Executive Secretariat Sustainable Development, the Santa Cruz for Integral Development and its Department of Declaration and Plan of Action + 10 and the Inter- Sustainable Development: American Program for Sustainable Development (PIDS 2006-2009) adopted by the Inter-American a. “To cooperate with member States and to Council for Integral Development (CIDI). coordinate its efforts with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency Finally, the Project is framed along the commitments (CDEMA), the Coordination Center for the agreed upon with the UNISDR through a Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central Cooperation Agreement signed in June, 2007, America (CEPREDENAC), the Andean during the First Session of the UNISDR Hyogo Committee for Disaster