Artikel 3

The Contracting Parties may, when necessary, declare within their territory, their territories or specific zones, Highly Vulnerable Areas, with a view to developing plans for co-operation in the prevention and management of natural disasters.
In order to establish a Highly Vulnerable Area, the Contracting Parties must take the following procedure into account:
1. The Party that exercises sovereignty, or sovereign rights or jurisdiction over a Highly Vulnerable Area shall submit its nomination for inclusion in the registry of Highly Vulnerable Areas of the Association of Caribbean States, which will be created and updated by the Secretariat, on the basis of the nomination approved by the Special Committee responsible for the subject of Natural Disasters.
2. The nominations shall be presented in accordance with the guidelines and criteria concerning the identification and selection of the Highly Vulnerable Areas, which are determined by the Contracting Parties, on the advice of the Special Committee responsible for the subject of Natural Disasters.
3. Each Party which submits a nomination shall make available to the Contracting Parties, through the ACS Secretariat, the following information on their Highly Vulnerable Areas: a) name of the area;
b) bio-geography of the area (limits, physical characteristics, climate, social composition, etc.);
c) vulnerability of the area;
d) management programmes and plans;
e) research programmes;
f) characteristics of the status of disaster prevention and/or mitigation. In order to develop fully co-operation among the Contracting Parties in the management of Highly Vulnerable Areas and to ensure effective fulfilment of the obligations outlined in this Agreement, it is recommended that each Party adopt and implement measures for planning, management, surveillance and control, which shall include at least the following: (i) formulation and adoption of disaster management guidelines suited to the Highly Vulnerable Areas;
(ii) adoption of a management plan which outlines the legal and institutional framework and the protective measures suitable for the Highly Vulnerable Area or Areas;
(iii) development of awareness programmes, local organisation for emergencies and education of the population and decision-makers, to reinforce the prevention and/or mitigation measures;
(iv) active participation of local communities, whenever their direct presence is required, in planning, assistance, and training of the local population;
(v) adoption of mechanisms for financing the development and effective management of the Highly Vulnerable Areas and the promotion of programmes of mutual assistance;
(vi) establishment of procedures for regulating or authorizing activities compatible with the common guidelines and criteria established by the Contracting Parties;
(vii) development of adequate infrastructure and training of interdisciplinary technical staff competent in the management of disasters.
a) name of the area;
b) bio-geography of the area (limits, physical characteristics, climate, social composition, etc.);
c) vulnerability of the area;
d) management programmes and plans;
e) research programmes;
f) characteristics of the status of disaster prevention and/or mitigation.
(i) formulation and adoption of disaster management guidelines suited to the Highly Vulnerable Areas;
(ii) adoption of a management plan which outlines the legal and institutional framework and the protective measures suitable for the Highly Vulnerable Area or Areas;
(iii) development of awareness programmes, local organisation for emergencies and education of the population and decision-makers, to reinforce the prevention and/or mitigation measures;
(iv) active participation of local communities, whenever their direct presence is required, in planning, assistance, and training of the local population;
(v) adoption of mechanisms for financing the development and effective management of the Highly Vulnerable Areas and the promotion of programmes of mutual assistance;
(vi) establishment of procedures for regulating or authorizing activities compatible with the common guidelines and criteria established by the Contracting Parties;
(vii) development of adequate infrastructure and training of interdisciplinary technical staff competent in the management of disasters.