Press Releases

(Barbados, October 19th – 21st 2011) A workshop on “Disaster Law: International Norms, problem Areas and Future Directions” took place on October 19-21 2011 in Barbados in which Mathieu Fontanaud, Adviser in the Directorate of Disaster Risk Reduction participated as a panelist.

The workshop served to reinforce the agreement among Member and Associate Member States of the ACS of its commitment to regional cooperation in the area of natural disasters. Mr. Fontanaud made a presentation on this matter along with providing up-to-date information on the activities of the Special Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

Mr Fontanaud also engaged in dialogue with high level stakeholders involved in DRR with regards to strategies to promote cooperation in this area. Some members expressed that consultation had already been undertaken with relevant government departments to facilitate the process.

The workshop allowed for the ACS to establish contacts with other stakeholders in the area of DRR and to engage in an exchange of information and dialogue with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFCR) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) as to the promotion of relevant legal instruments in this area in the Greater Caribbean. Furthermore Mr Eduardo Gonzales, Director of DRR of the ACS participated in a follow up meeting in Panama entitled “Regional Compendum of Regulatory Instruments for Managing International Humanitarian Assistance in Emergencies.”