COOPERATION IN ACTION REDUCING RISK | BUILDING RESILIENCE
WHAT’S INSIDE: A MODEL FOR CARIBBEAN COOPERATION THE SANDY SHORELINES PROJECT ACS PROJECTS
The Caribbean Sea
Sans Souci, Trinidad and Tobago
The Communications Unit Association of Caribbean States 5-7 Sweet Briar Road St. Clair Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago +1 868 622 9575 communications@acs-aec.org www.acs-aec.org
layout and design The Royalty Club www.royalty-club.com @theroyaltyclub
Cover image Tarique Eastman
contents 04
about the acs
05
CHAIR’S REMARKS
07
SECRETARY GENERAL’S WELCOME
08
COOPERATION IN ACTION
21
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION Projects
26
CARIBBEAN SEA COMMISSION Projects
28
TRADE, TRANSPORT & EXTERNAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS projects
29
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM projects
• • • •
• • • •
Regional Disaster Relief Efforts UN - GGIM Caribbean Project – A Model of Cooperation for Caribbean Development Sandy Shorelines Explainer – The ACS Approach to Tackling Coastal Erosion East meets West on Caribbean Shorelines – Q&A with KOICA
SHOCS and COPS UNGGIM Caribbean PITCA Green Response Initiative
• Sandy Shorelines • Caribbean Coral Aquaria • Maritime Port Strategy
• Increased Competitiveness in Tourism Development in the Greater Caribbean through the Implementation of Tourism Sustainability Certification
Cooperation Magazine 3
ABOUT THE ACS The Association of Caribbean States is an organisation for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in the Greater Caribbean. The Organisation’s work is focused on: Disaster Risk Reduction; Sustainable Tourism; Trade, Transport & External Economic Relations; and the protection of the Caribbean Sea. MEMBER STATES Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Aruba, Curaçao, France (in respect of French Guiana and Saint Barthélemy), Guadeloupe, Kingdom of the Netherlands (in respect of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius), Martinique, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos Islands (inactive).
FOUNDING OBSERVERS Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Latin American Economic System (SELA), Central American Integration System (SICA), Permanent Secretariat for the General Agreement on Central American Economic Integration (SEICA), United Nations Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC), Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO).
OBSERVER COUNTRIES Argentina, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, India, Italy, Japan Kazakhstan, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Korea, Morocco, Peru, Palestine, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
OBSERVER ORGANISATIONS Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), Central American Economic Integration Bank (CABEI), European Union, International Organization for Migration.
25 MEMBERS 9 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS 250+ MILLION PEOPLE 1 ACS www.acs-aec.org #ACS #AEC
4 Association of Caribbean States
Chair of the Ministerial Council 2017-2018, Jorge Alberto Arreaza Montserrat speaks at the Intersessional Meeting in Port of Spain. November 2017.
Chair’s remarks
I
n the framework of its Chairmanship Pro Tempore of the Association of Caribbean States, during the period 2017-2018, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela participated actively in the regular organisation of meetings and events, with a view to following up and continuing the projects and initiatives currently being executed by the Special Committees, namely: Tourism, Transport, Disaster Risk Reduction, Trade and External Economic Relations, Budget and Administration and the Caribbean Sea Commission.
•
We take this opportunity to recall that it was in Margarita Island, in December 2001, that the Eternal Commander of the Bolivarian Revolution, Hugo Chávez, presented, for the very first time, the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), at the 3rd Summit of ACS Heads of State and Government.
•
Since the arrival of President Chávez, we have focussed on forging close bonds of friendship and cooperation with our Caribbean brothers. We share more than just a Sea, a common history and an unwavering commitment to ensure the free and sovereign development of our peoples. We share an intrinsic connection, that engenders solidarity and allows us to dialogue and cooperate for the benefit and advancement of our peoples.
•
•
•
•
Under the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro and through our different cooperation authorities and mechanisms, Venezuela was directly involved in the monitoring, support and humanitarian aid provided after the tragedy caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. In this regard, during the tragedy our Government: Provided aircraft and helicopters from the Bolivarian army, which rescued at least 1000 persons in their multiple trips through Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and St. Martin. Established an air bridge in the Eastern Caribbean, to carry supplies and humanitarian aid to the affected countries, coordinated in conjunction with CARICOM and the OECS. Made funds immediately available through the transfer of significant donations from Banco del Alba, to the Barbuda Recovery Fund and to the Dominica Recovery Fund. Provided the international news channel, Telesur, with a 24 hour link to local channels and staff on the ground, to broadcast the true impact of hurricanes to the entire world. Granted debt forgiveness for Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda in respect of their PETROCARIBE arrangements.
Cooperation Magazine 5
Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the ACS José Serulle Ramia, Ministerial Council Chair Jorge Arreaza, Venezuelan Ambassador to T&T, Coromoto Godoy, and Vice Minister for the Caribbean and Venezuelan Ambassador to the ACS Raúl Licausi enter the meeting room at the Intersessional in November, 2017.
In addition, this honourable Association provides a crucial platform for countries to achieve objectives in the area of disaster and risk management, to articulate unified positions and efforts as we engender solutions to respond, not only in the short term to the damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, but also to take decisions that strengthen our handling of these challenges in the medium and long term. Exemplary initiatives have been undertaken through this organisation. In that respect, we applaud the advancements recorded in implementing the Plan of Action of Pétion Ville and highlight the entry into force of the “Regional Cooperation Agreement in the Area of Natural Disasters”. Thus, we have placed our spatial technology at the disposal of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), through the Bolivarian Agency for Spatial Activity (Agencia Bolivariana para Actividades Espaciales ABAE), an essential element of our national disaster risk reduction strategy, with a view to contributing to the Project “Strengthening Spatial Data Infrastructures in ACS Member States and Territories”. This technology is available to any other project that may require the supply of spatial images for proper functioning. We also wish to announce the successful launch of the Third Venezuelan Satellite, “Antonio José de Sucre”, which has been in orbit since October 9, 2017.
6 Association of Caribbean States
It is praiseworthy that during our tenure as Chairman Pro Tempore for the period 2017-2018, the 28th Meeting of the Special Committee on Sustainable Tourism (SCST – 28) was convened successfully in Margarita Island on July 1011, 2017, attended by twelve delegations of ACS Member and Associate Member States, one Founding Observer and one special guest. In that respect, we acknowledge the effort and role of the ACS at the international level in developing tourism with a sustainable perspective that fosters the protection of natural and cultural patrimony, yielding as a result, the establishment of the First Sustainable Tourism Zone in the World. We reiterate Venezuela’s commitment to the ACS to promote sustainable tourism cooperation and consolidation as a tool for developing the Caribbean Basin, while making available to this important organisation, the successful cooperation systems developed by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela such as PETROCARIBE. This, in order to promote knowledge transfer, good practices and the provision of financial resources that would allow this pivotal sector of the regional economy to be strengthened. Lastly, the efforts of the ACS to pursue consultation, cooperation and concerted action in the pursuit of sustainable development require that our Region remain a Zone of Peace. In this regard we reaffirm the importance of implementing the Declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.
Secretary General’s Welcome Barbuda, St. Martin and Dominica were the hardest hit. Evermore, we are facing the increasingly-tangible effects of climate change. Natural disasters did not only affect the countries completely surrounded by water. The countries of Central America were shaken by a series of earthquakes in September 2017. Over one million people in Mexico and Guatemala were affected by some of the strongest earthquakes to rock the isthmus in decades.
Dr. June Soomer
I
t is my immense pleasure to welcome you to the Second Annual Cooperation Conference of the Association of Caribbean States. The year 2017 was significant for the countries of the Greater Caribbean. We meet when our countries and peoples are in distress, in need and fearful; when our solidarity and resourcefulness have been put to the test. The Atlantic Hurricane Season brought significant distress to some of the islands of the Greater Caribbean. Lives and livelihoods were lost. Infrastructure was destroyed, economies wrecked. The islands of
The fact that, for the most part, we turned to each other for strength, comfort and assistance in times of great need, speaks volumes for regional cooperation, concerted action and consultation. That willingness to continually develop our symbiotic relationships bodes well for the work of our Organisation. The ACS is now more relevant than ever, bringing the countries of the Greater Caribbean together. Visionary leaders recognised in 1996 that we would need to work together to improve our disaster risk reduction strategies; to ensure that our transport links get our people, goods and services where they need to be in times of need and ahead of that need; that our trade would need to be robust
so that we would be less dependent on the outside, and that our critical tourism industries would need to be increasingly resilient if we were to achieve sustainable development. While we are pleased with our efforts over the last year, we must not just improve but perfect our efforts and coordination. It is no longer enough to do well, we must be exceptional. That makes the alliances that we form here and the resulting work all the more important and impactful for the people of the Greater Caribbean. Cooperation is one of the pillars of the work of the ACS; and this magazine is a reflection of how we have been working together. It is a map forward for future collaboration on projects that will impact over 250 million people of the Greater Caribbean in some way. We are building on the model created at the Inaugural Cooperation Conference - creating the space for multilateral and bilateral interaction among Member States, Associates, Observers and other partners. This is a key opportunity to strengthen old friendships and build new alliances. This is a key moment for cooperation.
Cooperation Magazine 7
“I come to you straight from the front line of the war on climate change… The stars have fallen, Eden is broken. The nation of Dominica has come to declare an international humanitarian emergency… We need action and we need it now. …to deny climate change is to procrastinate while the earth sinks. It is to deny a truth we have just lived.” ROOSEVELT SKERRIT Prime Minister, Dominica
COOPERATION IN ACTION Regional Disaster Relief Efforts Photos – Telesur, Caricom & Cdema.
“Barbuda did not stand the faintest chance against such size, such ferocity and such intensity.� GASTON BROWNE Prime Minister, Antigua & Barbuda
UN-GGIM CARIBBEAN PROJECT A Model of Cooperation for Caribbean Development
A
fter thirty years of working in the field of Geospatial Information, the subject still excites Dr. Bheshem Ramlal, a researcher, lecturer, and lifelong learner. But how does this highly scientific and meticulous type of information-gathering that he’s so passionate about, impact the average person? Geospatial information is any data about natural or constructed features, or things on earth, that can be tied to a specific location. That data is then fed into Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Dr. Ramlal, who has served as deputy chair of Trinidad & Tobago’s National Land Information Management Agency, believes in the potential of geospatial information. He says: “You need geospatial data to support most decision-making. Whether we know it or not, we are always dealing with geospatial information.” Still not sure you understand geospatial data and GIS? Think of your smart phone, and how its GPS technology is able to know where you go, or direct you home on the route with least traffic congestion, or even suggest nearby goods and services. Geospatial Information Systems
are even more sophisticated and use GPS imaging to feed into their matrix of information - think Google Maps. In 2014, the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) embarked on a project with the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) and the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). AMEXCID provided financial support and INEGI provided technical expertise. The mission was to promote the development of spatial data infrastructure in the Caribbean. After an intense diagnosis of the shortfalls and data gaps, ACS, AMEXCID and the University of the West Indies (UWI) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding aimed at improving the lives of the millions of people who live around the Caribbean Sea. The project: Strengthening of Spatial Data Infrastructure in Member States and Territories of the Association of the Caribbean States (UN-GGIM Caribbean Project) was born. Dr. Ramlal says, “For me, this is really something - an initiative in the right direction. The Caribbean region is way behind and to have a project like this is very forward-thinking.” The project has facilitated the training of geospatial information managers from 19 ACS Member States in metadata standards, spatial data infrastructure, cartography and visualisation, among many other related fields. Member States now
Cooperation Magazine 13
have GPS base stations; technocrats have been trained on how to collect and analyse information; a server to share the information among Greater Caribbean countries has been created. The project is a model for multiinstitutional, cross-country cooperation. While the project is funded by AMEXCID, technical support and implementation has come from INEGI. Further funding has come from the Mexico-Chile Fund (with Chile being an ACS Observer). Training, expertisesharing and facilities have come from the governments of Chile and Cuba, as well as UWI. Dr. Ramlal is willing and eager to share his perspective on how useful, organised and accurate geospatial data can be. He says that accurate data can potentially improve localised planning and decisionmaking for urbanisation, crimefighting and, importantly, disaster risk reduction. “It is with the abundance of information that the probability of better decisions is higher.” He says that geospatial data is vital for assessing and reducing vulnerability to climate change and sea level rise, especially for coastal communities.
Geospatial Information managers of the Greater Caribbean gather for a group shot while training.
Former Mexican ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Jesús Alberto López González joins, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction of the Association of Caribbean States Arturo Lopez-Portillo, Dr. Bheshem Ramlal, and regional geospatial information systems managers, at a training course at UWI, St. Augustine
salt water intrusion, or the extreme measure would be to move people to higher ground. You can plan to phase your expenditure, so you won’t have to spend all your money in one go.”
“If you know that your sea is rising at a certain number of millimeters per year, you could actually know what areas will be inundated when, and based on that, you can then take mitigation measures.”
Mexico is the Chair of the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UNGGIM) Americas sub-group. Dr. Ramlal acknowledges Mexico’s vast experience in geospatial data and management, formed from many decades of marrying statistics and geography at INEGI. UWI is responsible for ensuring the sustainability of the project.
“You can take inundation measures, retrofitting certain areas to make sure that they are protected from
“I’m happy that UWI, in a way, is finding its legs in terms of
14 Association of Caribbean States
Dr. Bheshem Ramlal talks about the importance of Geospatial Information Systems.
supporting its stakeholders across the region. I’m happy that the Government of Mexico… and the ACS are supporting us to do the kinds of things that we need to do, to ensure that the region will benefit from the kinds of technology and expertise available; to be prepared for things that are definitely coming, so that we can protect our citizens.”
The ACS Approach to Tackling Coastal Erosion Caribbean people living in the sandy, low-lying, coastal areas of the region will soon benefit from a US $4 million project grant from the South Korean government to assess and control the impact of coastal erosion and sea level rise in the Greater Caribbean. The Sandy Shorelines project is set to improve the region’s ability to study and manage coastal erosion, reduce the vulnerability of regional coasts, and enhance social resilience to climate change. The partnership agreement, signed between the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is being led by Cuba’s Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA), and will combine the knowledge of top coastal erosion scientists from the East and West. Approximately 115 million people from the Greater Caribbean live and survive around the Caribbean Sea. With accelerated climate change, tourist pressure, and over-fishing, our unifying natural resource - the blues and greens of our Caribbean Sea and its coasts - is in danger. This
means that people and their ways of living are at risk.
• The establishment of a regional
In most of the small island countries of the Caribbean, tourism accounts for 25% of GDP. With the growth of the tourism industry regionally, Caribbean shorelines and beaches are suffering from accelerated erosion, which means serious damage to the tourism industry’s main attraction.
•
Aware of its responsibility for the sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea and its preservation, the ACS and its Caribbean Sea Commission (CSC) worked closely with Cuba’s CITMA and KOICA to develop the project. The Sandy Shorelines project brings together the region’s coastal erosion experts and establishes a regionwide network of coastal erosion monitoring stations. This enables the ACS and its Member States to better understand the impacts of climate change on our coasts, and better advocate for international funding due to the Caribbean’s high vulnerability to sea level rise.
•
The main components of the project, over a three-year period are:
• •
•
focal point network on coastal erosion; Training and capacity-building of regional scientists in cuttingedge coastal erosion monitoring techniques; The establishment of a regional coastal erosion monitoring network; The preparation of beach rehabilitation projects in three prioritized areas; The development of a regional manual on beach erosion and sea level-rise-management; And a regional conference on beach preservation.
Three top coastal erosion experts from KOIST (Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology) and the OJERI (Ojeong Eco-Resilience Institute) of Korea University visited parts of the Caribbean to see the impact of coastal erosion in the region first-hand. They traded thoughts with regional scientists and finalised details of the project. The project is currently in its inception phase and was launched in July 2017.
Cooperation Magazine 15
7, 000 Islands 12,000 Species 250+ Million People 1 Caribbean Sea
16 Association of Caribbean States
“We are here offering our hand of solidarity to these people, who have suffered the devastating Hurricane Irma…” NICOLÁS MADURO President, Venezuela
East meets West on Caribbean Shorelines Korea’s Role in the Sandy Shorelines Project
S
outh Korea and the Caribbean are literally a world apart. Peel back the layers of cultural, linguistic, and technological differences, and there are striking similarities. People from the coasts of South Korea and the Greater Caribbean consider themselves ‘sea people’. The salted waters of the Pacific and the Caribbean maintain the people in both a literal and symbolic way. They use the sea to maintain lives and livelihoods. They both face the problem of coastal erosion. The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is the main partner in the Sandy Shorelines Coastal Erosion Project. KOICA, established in 1991, is the aid agency of the Korean government under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this interview, Deputy Country Director – Dominican Republic Office of KOICA, Jang Bong Hee, discusses KOICA’s first partnership with the ACS, coastal erosion and cooperation. Q: How did KOICA get involved in this project?
18 Association of Caribbean States
A: About three years ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accepted four different project proposals. The technical team with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reviewed the four proposals and they selected this project as the one that could maximise Korea’s capabilities. Q: What are the benefits for KOICA? A: Basically, what KOICA is doing is promoting the mutual understanding of the possibilities of our countries. In the ocean-related field, we can connect the oceanrelated scientists and institutions in Korea to the Caribbean states. One of the core strategies of KOICA is tackling the climate change issues of the world. We believe that this project can be the first step in the Caribbean area. KOICA sees this as something very positive. As a country, South Korea has been quite active in ocean-related affairs like: fisheries, sand and ocean research. These activities, relatively, weren’t pronounced in the Caribbean Sea, compared to the Pacific Ocean.
We believe that with this project, we can get a better understanding of our partners and we can achieve our common sustainable development goals. Q: Is the Caribbean an important place for large donation agencies, such as KOICA, and smaller countries to work together? A: Like all the aid programmes, it is part of the government policy, and government policy usually follows other parts of the exchanges. It is difficult to say that there has been a deep relationship in terms of the interchange of cultures and tourism, compared to other neighbouring regions, which means we have great potential for the future. Q: How did Korea develop its technical capacity in coastal erosion monitoring? Reading a response from technical partners from the Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) A: The coast of Korea has many beautiful sandy beaches, just like
Secretary General Dr. June Soomer and Jang Bong-Hee at the signing of the Sandy Shorelines Grant Agreement in Port of Spain.
the Caribbean states. We have millions of citizens who visit the beaches annually to enjoy their vacation. Since the 1980s, however, dozens of beaches have been suffering from coastal erosion. The biggest reason for the erosion is the manmade coastal engineering structures, as development goes along, and concrete buildings rise up alongside the beaches. Harbour construction, wave height and direction have caused unexpected erosion in the nearby sandy beaches. At the time, we did not properly understand how that structure could work against the sandy beaches. Another important reason for investment is climate change. Sea level rise is another serious concern for Korean coasts, in the same way that Caribbean states are worrying about sea level rise. In addition, the probable increase in intensity and duration of extreme storms due to climate change will aggravate the damage, so we are
experiencing the same problems as Caribbean States. In Korea, acknowledging this threat to the coast, the government decided to start scientific investigations, as well as engineering plans to protect the coast. The first step is the monitoring of the erosion process. To understand scientifically what is happening, that is the first way to solve the problem. Korean beaches and coastal areas have been subjected to scientific surveys and have video monitoring tower systems, just as those to be constructed in Hellshire beach in Jamaica throughout the project. Most beaches in Korea are now annually graded from A to D, according to their conditions. The government takes action to recover the most damaged beaches by constructing engineering structures, restoring coastal environment and by restoring the beaches with sand. In order to scientifically focus on the coastal erosion problems,
KIOST opened the East Sea research institute. The Director General is supposed to be the leader of the team for the Sandy Shorelines project – Dr. Jae-youll Jin. Q: How do you see this partnership with the Association of Caribbean States developing in the future? A: We believe that the partnership with the Association of Caribbean States, as our implementing partner, we’ve already formed a great partnership. So the Caribbean vision in general, I think will be developing in a very positive way.
Jang Bong-Hee makes a point about KOICA’s collaboration with ACS.
Cooperation Magazine 19
“Our hearts and those of all Colombians are with the victims.” JUAN MANUEL SANTOS President, Colombia
Cooperation Magazine 21
The Complementary Project to the Small Island Developing States (SIDS)Caribbean Project and SHOCS I and II (COPS)
PROJECT NAME
To provide new skills and tools for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) and Disaster Management Agencies (DMA). This will further develop Multi-Hazard Early Warnings Systems (MHEWS) in the region.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE The National Meteorological and Hydrological Services of Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.
BENEFICIARIES
2016-Present Phase IIIrehabilitation of Automatic Weather Stations and further training of Caribbean meteorologists.
-Rehabilitation of automatic weather stations in the region through the purchase and installation of equipment.
Improved forecasting of adverse weather events by Caribbean meteorologists who will be trained to use equipment, software and Early Warning Systems by the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI)
2012 Phase I Feasibility Study -Strengthening Hydrometeorological Operations & Services in the Caribbean SIDS (SHOCS). 2013-2016 SHOCS Phase II Equipment purchase & installation and NMHS training.
IMPACT
DURATION
Disaster Risk Reduction DONOR Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFAF)
BUDGET US $162,417.26
ACTIVE ACS PROJECTS
This project is in its third and final phase and has full funding from the MFAF and is being implemented by the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
On-going
status
22 Association of Caribbean States
To promote the development of Spatial Data Infrastructure in the Caribbean, to strengthen the generation, use and sharing of geospatial information.
Strengthening of Spatial Data Infrastructure in Member States and Territories of the Association of the Caribbean States (UNGGIM)
This is expected to improve the identification of vulnerable populations and identification and mitigation of risks.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE
PROJECT NAME Geospatial information managers of 19 countries - Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Sint Maarten, Martinique, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and Guadeloupe
BENEFICIARIES
PHASE IV Incorporation of Greater Caribbean countries to UN-GGIM (United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management).
PHASE II & III – CapacityBuilding, Strengthening Infrastructure.
- Development of a computer application known as Geomatics Solution, designed to integrate, support and disseminate geographic information.
- Implementation of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) stations, the provision of satellite images to 16 countries and the installation of equipment and software for the analysis & integration of spatial data.
- Geospatial Information Managers trained through 14 workshops.
2014-Present PHASE I – Diagnosis
IMPACT
DURATION Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID)
US$ 4.5 million from AMEXCID
US $200,000 from the Mexico- Chile Fund
And
DONOR
BUDGET
This project is fully funded by AMEXCID and is being implemented by the Mexican Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).
This project is currently in the capacitybuilding phase which entails the delivery of training workshops to geospatial information experts in the region.
On-going
status
Cooperation Magazine 23
Caribbean Territorial Information Platform for Disaster Prevention (PITCA)
PROJECT NAME
To establish a platform to provide territorial geospatial information from national and regional sources. This project aims to provide disaster risk analysis in the region, strengthen decision-making for policy development, and reduce vulnerability in strategic sectors.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE Disaster Risk Managers of all ACS Member States and Associates, particularly those in charge of mapping hazards and defining risks to vulnerable populations and country areas.
BENEFICIARIES
receive a server.
CDEMA will also
workstation.
screens and one
each receive three
and CENAPRED to
begin. ACS, CDEMA
installation will
equipment
of contracts,
and finalization
Upon evaluation
awaiting proposals.
dispatched – ACS
of equipment
installation
the supply and
proposal for
– Request for
January 2018
available.
information
layers of geospatial
and the different
PITCA database
to display the
of workstations
2017 - Procurement
2014 –Present
DURATION The implementation of this project will lead to the substantial reduction of physical and socioeconomic vulnerability through strategic planning of the use of territory. This platform will provide a database of timely and reliable information which can then be incorporated into regional policies and improve the management of natural resources.
IMPACT
DONOR Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID)
BUDGET US $117, 973.53
This project is currently in equipment procurement phase, which will display regional geospatial information. The project is fully funded by AMEXCID and is being implemented by the Mexican Disaster Prevention Centre (CENAPRED).
On-going
status
24 Association of Caribbean States
Green Response Initiative
PROJECT NAME
To promote the use of environmentallyfriendly products and processes in disaster recovery. This project seeks to reduce the harmful environmental impact of Disaster response and recovery.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE National Disaster Managers and Environmental Agencies of all ACS Member States and Associate Members.
BENEFICIARIES
disaster response
up-scaling of the
PHASE IV: Regional
prototypes.
green response
PHASE III: Test pilot
Caribbean region.
prototypes from the
green response
develop/source
PHASE II: Identify/
stakeholders.
environmental
management and
among disaster
collaboration
areas for improving
This identified
completed in 2016.
Country Study) was
to Disasters (A
“Green Response
study entitled
PHASE I - feasibility
DURATION This initiative will reduce, in a sustainable way, the environmental impact of the products and technologies used in the response to and recovery from disasters. The feasibility study has served to identify green products, processes and technologies which can be used to make disaster response more environmentally friendly.
IMPACT
Phase IV - US $100,000
Phase III- US $100,000
Phase II - US $150,000
PHASE I - US $70,000
BUDGET The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has contributed $70,000 which paid for the completion of Phase II
DONOR
The Feasibility study entitled “Green Response to Disasters (A Country Study) is complete. This project is implemented by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) of Trinidad and Tobago in coordination with the International Federation of the Red Cross and the ACS. PHASES II –IV require full funding.
Up-coming
status
“It was a large-scale earthquake. It had a bigger magnitude than the one Mexicans experienced in 1985.” ENRIQUE PEÑA NIETO President, Mexico
26 Association of Caribbean States
“Impact Assessment of Climate Change on the sandy shorelines of the Caribbean: alternatives for its control and resilience”
Full name:
Sandy Shorelines
PROJECT NAME
To improve the resilience of coastal communities to climate change and sea levelrise through the establishment of a regional erosion monitoring network and the sharing of best practices in beach rehabilitation, observation and preservation.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE
Students
Government Institutions, and research institutes
Regional Coastal Experts/ Environmental Scientists In all Member States and Associate Members
Coastal communities – the most vulnerable group affected by coastal erosion.
BENEFICIARIES
Year 2 -Continue data collection -Beach rehabilitation project -Create & publish Beach Rehabilitation Manual -Host 1st conference on beach preservation in the Greater Caribbean.
Year 1 -Training of experts -Establish Regional monitoring network -Begin monitoring/data collection.
2 YEARS
DURATION
I.3 Strengthening the institutions of national agencies with training, resources and technology, to respond to climate change in matters dealing with coastal erosion.
I.2 Enhanced economic and social resilience to climate change-induced sea level rise in coastal communities.
Component 6 Korean expertise (Experts, training, etc.)
Component 5 Host Conference
Component 4 Education & Publication of Beach Rehabilitation Manual
Component 3 Data collection
Component 2 Establishing Regional Monitoring Network
Government of The Netherlands
Government of Turkey
Component 1 Training Activities Regional Coastal Experts/ Environmental Scientists
Korea – (KOICA)
US$ 4 million
I.1 Enhanced ability to predict the future impacts of sea level rise and coastal erosion in Caribbean States, which will protect vulnerable coastal communities.
DONOR
BUDGET
IMPACT
CARIBBEAN SEA COMMISSION Sandy Shorelines
ACTIVE ACS PROJECTS
Funding of US $110,000 needed for every extra country.
Seeking funding to allow more countries to participate.
Funding received for the full participation of 10 countries.
On-going
STATUS
Cooperation Magazine 27
Mitigating the effects of climate change on Caribbean coral reefs: cultivation and propagation of hard corals and long-spine sea urchins for reef restoration
Caribbean Coral Aquariums
PROJECT NAME
To Build Resilience of Caribbean Coral Reefs by developing specialized laboratory aquariums, for the seeding, cultivation and preservation of coral genes.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE
-Persons economically dependent on reef tourism
-Reef tourism operators
-Caribbean coastal communities
-Regional marine scientists and research institutions
BENEFICIARIES 3 YEARS
DURATION
Contribute to the integration of climate change with national, sub-regional and regional Sustainable Development Strategies.
Improved scientific and methodological capacities in reef conservation among participating institutions and researchers.
Preservation of environmentally and economically valuable coral genetic resources against the threat of climate change.
IMPACT
TOTAL: US$ 2.2 million
Unforeseen costs and committing project management (10% of direct cost) US $200, 000
Component 4 Additional Training and workshops in aquarium management US $250, 000
Component 3 Carrying out practical work in situ and ex situ. Collecting, cultivating, maintaining, genetics, etc. Genetic interchange. Carrying out restoration actions in Cuban reefs. Monitoring the results. US $900, 000
Component 2 Laboratory development and preparation for in field propagation US $750, 000
Component 1 Training in coral propagation and laboratory management techniques US $100, 000
BUDGET
CARIBBEAN SEA COMMISSION coral aquaria
ACTIVE ACS PROJECTS Up-coming
STATUS
28 Association of Caribbean States
Maritime Port Strategy and Plan of Action for the Greater Caribbean
PROJECT NAME
To formulate a strategy and plan of action for the maritime port development of the Greater Caribbean, that will increase competitiveness of the maritime sector, enabling it to satisfy foreign trade needs. This project will establish priority actions and include strategic proposals to promote and develop port infrastructure.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE -Coastal communities -Public & private sectors -Transport operators -Foreign trade operators -Port sector and shipbuilders in ACS Member States and Associate Members
BENEFICIARIES 36 months
DURATION Countries of the Greater Caribbean countries will be equipped to capitalise on their maritime connectivity and competiveness, leading to increased intraregional trade, as well as, the strengthened port strategy, considering their vulnerability in the face of natural disasters.
IMPACT
TRADE, TRANSPORT & EXTERNAL ECONOMIC
ACTIVE ACS PROJECTS US $722,000
BUDGET
Up-coming project. Needs 100% financing
STATUS
Cooperation Magazine 29
Increased Competitiveness in Tourism Development in the Greater Caribbean through the Implementation of Tourism Sustainability Certification
PROJECT NAME
To promote competitiveness in tourism destinations in the Greater Caribbean by developing a Certification Program based on the indicators and criteria of the Sustainable Tourism Zone of the Greater Caribbean (STZC).
OVERALL OBJECTIVE STZC Tourist Destinations in ACS Member States and Associate Members
BENEFICIARIES 3 years
DURATION
2.
by the Greater Caribbean Region to new market niches by presenting a differentiated offer, based on sustainability, climate resilience and integration as guaranteed by Sustainable Tourism Zone of the Greater Caribbean certification Enhancement of Multidestination Tourism offer of the Greater Caribbean.
1. Greater access
IMPACT
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
ACTIVE ACS PROJECTS US $3,469,400.00
BUDGET
Up-coming project. Needs 100% financing
STATUS
“This business of the climate change is the most significant, the greatest existential threat to us.� DR. RALPH GONSALVES Prime Minister, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
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