COE and UN World Food Programme sign agreement to strengthen disaster response

Santo Domingo.- The Emergency Operations Center (COE) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen the Dominican Republic’s preparedness, response and recovery capabilities during emergencies and disasters.

The agreement will focus on technical assistance, institutional strengthening and innovation in risk management, with the goal of improving inter-agency coordination, early warning systems, humanitarian logistics and emergency decision-making.

Both institutions will work to strengthen information and analysis systems, advance early-warning and early-action mechanisms, improve the mobilization of humanitarian assistance through the Sectoral Logistics Committee, and enhance communication systems for the timely dissemination of alerts to the public.

The partnership also includes training programs, drills and joint exercises to strengthen the technical and operational capabilities of emergency-management personnel. It will also reinforce Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA) processes to help guide humanitarian assistance and recovery efforts.

The collaboration comes as the Dominican Republic remains exposed to hurricanes, storms, floods, droughts, earthquakes, landslides and forest fires. The WFP will implement its activities within the framework of its 2024–2028 Country Strategic Plan, which focuses on food security, nutrition, social protection and building community resilience to climate change and other emergencies.

The agreement is expected to strengthen the country’s capacity to protect lives and livelihoods through a more coordinated, timely and people-centered approach to disaster management.