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Thursday August 16th 2012 was a landmark day for disaster policy in Jamaica as over thirty of the island’s government officials, legal specialists and civil society representatives gathered to review the future of the country’s International Disaster Response Law.

Honduras conducted a simulation exercise from 17 to 19 April to test the effectiveness of the Regional Mechanisms of Mutual Assistance in case of Disasters (MECREG). The simulation exercise was organised by the Honduras Permanent Contingency Commission, with support from UN OCHA and the World Food Programme.

From 23-26 April, heads of state and government from across the Caribbean convened in Port-au-Prince, Haiti for the 5th Summit of Heads of State and/or Government of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).

The Disaster Law Programme is pleased to welcome a new staff member to its team. Ms Rocio Escauriaza joined the team in January as a disaster law delegate based in Port au Prince, Haiti.

On the occasion of the 2012 Inter-American Conference of the Red Cross, top leaders of the IFRC and President Michel-Joseph Martelly of Haiti recently met to discuss the importance of strong legal frameworks for disaster risk reduction and disaster response.

The European Commission for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), the Haitian Red Cross Society, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) hosted the Exchange Experience Regional Workshop on Urban Risk Management in the Americas in Port-au-Prince from 22 to 25 August.

An increase in the number of natural disasters, coupled with a growth in the number and variety of international actors who may be available to provide assistance in major operations is making the task of facilitating and regulating international aid ever more complicated for the governments of affected States. The emergency response in quake-stricken Haiti is one of the latest examples of this development.

Eight months after the massive earthquake of January 2010, Haitian authorities are taking increasing responsibility for the coordination of international response efforts.

Finding real homes for the displaced survivors of Haiti's January 12 earthquake is currently the most urgent challenge facing humanitarian organizations and Haitian officials.

A little over a month after the massive earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12th, Haiti’s government has reported that more than 217,00 people have died, over 300,000 have been injured, and at least a half million have been made homeless by the disaster.