UN-SPIDER conducted its regional workshop “Aplicaciones Espaciales en la Gestión para la Reducción del Riesgo y para la Respuesta en caso de Desastres” in Quito, Ecuador, between 29 September and 2 October of this year with the presence of more than 60 participants from 17 countries. The event benefitted considerably from the support provided by different agencies of the Governments of Spain and Ecuador.
The workshop was inaugurated by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Integration; the Ambassador of Spain; the Lady Director of the National Secretariat for Risk Management; the Commander of the Air Force of Ecuador, and the representative from UN-SPIDER. The purpose of the workshop was to gather inputs to draft a plan of action for this region of the world, and to establish a regional thematic partnership on the use of space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle. The event included plenary presentations where experts displayed examples of recent advances in the use of space-based information for disaster-risk management and emergency response and group sessions where participants discussed a variety of issues concerning the use of such information within the context of four themes:
• Policies to institutionalize the use of this type of information at the national level,
• harmonization of efforts at the national, regional, and international levels
• Sustainability of efforts
• Capacity Building approaches
The event was used to present general aspects concerning the UN-SPIDER programme and it was used to meet representatives from countries and from regional and international organizations; to advance talks on future Technical Advisory Missions, and to link the space community and the disaster management community.
