24 February, Panama City, Panama. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Coordination Center for Disaster Prevention in Central America and the Dominican Republic (CEPREDENAC) will work together to involve migrants in emergency preparedness and response, strengthen disaster displacement prevention actions and promote adaptation to climate change.

This was agreed by the two organizations in a document signed today in Panama City by IOM's regional director, Michele Klein-Solomon, and Claudia Herrera Melgar, executive secretary of CEPREDENAC.

Central America is one of the regions of the world with the highest probability of disasters due to its geographical position, the accumulation of risks and the increase in natural, socio-natural and anthropogenic hazards. Disasters have progressively increased in the region during the last three decades with an estimated annual growth of 5% reflecting the importance of coordinating regional efforts in the matter.

"In 2020, due to hurricanes Eta and Iota it is estimated that more than 100,000 families lost their homes or were displaced in one way or another. This is an example of the multiple relationships between human mobility, emergencies and disasters," explained IOM Regional Director Michele Klein-Solomon. "For IOM this agreement is of utmost importance and is part of our Regional Strategy 2020-2024, that seeks to strengthen the capacities of governments to manage all forms and impacts of human mobility in conditions of emergencies and crises in the region."

"Through this cooperation agreement we will be able to promote knowledge management to address the vulnerability of migrants to disasters and thus develop mechanisms, protocols and tools that allow us to expand prevention and preparedness actions focused on the dynamics of displacement within the framework of integrated disaster risk management," said the executive secretary of CEPREDENAC, Claudia Herrera.

The entities signing the agreement highlighted that this action responds to goals 7 and 23 of the Global Compact for Migration, as well as goal 10 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.