Disasters, Conflicts and Migration 

*  Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters, Belgium.

El Salvador is extremely prone to natural disasters. It ranks among the ten most vulnerable countries to natural hazards in the world (CRED/OFDA), and is rated first by the World Bank in terms of overall vulnerability based on Economic Risk to GDP from two or more natural hazards (WB, 2005). Nearly 90 percent of total country area is at risk of disaster, representing over 95 percent of the population and 96 percent of GDP. In the past 11 years, the country suffered three major disasters which impacted thousands and severely hampered economic progress. Two major earthquakes in 2001 affected 1.5 million people with economic losses of US$ 1.6 billion. In 2005, the country was simultaneously affected by the eruption of the Ilamatepec Volcano and tropical storm Stan; the total impact of the two phenomena was US$355.6 million (with US$196.2 million in damages and US$159.5 million in losses). In 2011, Tropical Depression 12E hit El Salvador, affecting more than 0.5 million people and causing US$840 million in damages and losses. 

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities 

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government  

The government has since 2009 changed some of the former structures. WFP's main counterpart in Supply Chain is SIS/DAA (Secretaría de Inclusión Social/División de Asistencia Alimentaria – Secretariat for Social Inclusion/Food Assistance Division), responsible for warehouse management and staffing.   

The Government of El Salvador’s (GoES) response to the tropical storms (Agatha, Alex, and E12) can be seen as a step forward compared with previous emergencies (i.e. lesson learned from Ida and E12). The Government had available in its warehouses relief items (mattress, clothes, hygiene kits, medical kits, etc.) and food rations to assist the affected populations. The humanitarian community also provided support in terms of food assistance (WFP and others). The capacity of response has to be improved in view of possible major emergencies, especially in the area of coordination with all actors involved in the response. The humanitarian community, in coordination with GoES’ Civil Protection, has initiated the creation of a humanitarian network, which is currently ongoing. 

The Coordination Center for Disaster Prevention in Latin America (CEPREDENAC as per Spanish acronym), is a regional inter-governmental entity, working under the Central America Integration System (SICA as per Spanish acronym) as a specialised secretariat. It has been created with the mandate of promoting activities, projects and programmes focused on reduction of risks during natural disasters. The Center promotes and coordinates the international cooperation, information sharing, with the exchange of experiences and technical/scientific evaluations regarding prevention, mitigation and emergency response. 

Humanitarian Community 

A Contingency Plan preparing for floods and landslides caused by hurricanes and rainfall was developed between June and November in 2006. This was updated in 2007, 2008 and it is being re-drafted in 2017. This plan has been prepared by the United Nations Emergency Team (UNETE) which is composed by the main UN actors involved in emergency response (WFP, FAO, UNICEF, IOM, WHO, UNDP, UNFPA, OCHA). UNETE members are fully involved in the establishment of the Humanitarian Network for El Salvador together with some NGOs (CARE, OXFAM, Plan International, CRS, Lutheran World Federation, WVI, Save the Children), the National Red Cross and National Civil Protection. WFP in El Salvador developed the Central American Early Warning System (SATCA) to monitor weather hazards. This is a tool that has provided timely and consolidated information on natural events in the region. 

The following web resources have been established to support a humanitarian response in terms of preparedness and emergency response: 

SATCA website Central America Early Warning System to monitor weather hazards 

Redhum - Latin America Humanitarian Information Network 

Overview

The tables below show the governmental entities that oversee collecting revenues, ministries that control the entrance of medical or agricultural products to the country and import exemption taxes.   

The import process starts by requesting tax exemption to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then authorization of Customs in order to collect the products at customs warehouse. When food is being imported, the permission needs to be requested to the Ministry of Health and Agriculture, depending on the type of food.  

This document also provides a list of requirements and certificates to obtain permission to import. 

Duties and Tax Exemption 

For contact information regarding government custom authorities, please click check section 1.2 Regulatory Departament & Quality Control. 

Customs is part of the Treasury and is in charge of the following: 

• Authorise and registration of international land transport  

• Increase of decrease of bonds imposed to duty free shops. 

• Approving tax exemptions 

• Authorization of importing vehicles 

• Authorization of forwarding agents 

• Authorization of introduction of vehicles and personal items of diplomatic Salvadorian staff abroad. 

• Authorization of importing vehicles through diplomatic tax exemption. 

• Authorization for the registration of sea transport. 

• Classification of product duties. 

Customs Information Authorities 

Emergency Response: 

Upon the declaration of a State of Emergency by the Congress (“Asamblea Legislativa”) or by the President himself, all humanitarian aid coming from abroad is channeled through Civil Protection (for all imported food commodities, a control is done by the Ministry of Agriculture) and enters the country through an expedited process coordinated with the Government parties mentioned above (Art. 556 RECAUCA). 

When relief items are destined to entities/organizations of social interest, humanitarian organizations etc., their entry will be authorized provided that the transport documents are endorsed by the Government Authority in charge (Art. 556 RECAUCA inciso tercero). 

https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/es/sv/sv039es.pdf 

https://www.mh.gob.sv/pmh/es/Temas/Manual_Unico_de_Operaciones_Aduaneras/Proceso_de_despacho/Requisitos/Generales.html 

The following agreements and conventions apply to the country: 

The following legal data provides exemption information: 

• Franquicias de la Presidencia de la República: Disposiciones Generales del Presupuesto, Decreto Legislativo No. 6, publicado en el Diario Oficial No.126, Tomo No. 324, de fecha 07/07/1994. 

• Franquicias para la Asamblea Legislativa: Decreto Legislativo No. 461, publicado en el Diario Oficial No. 189, Tomo No. 329, de fecha 13/10/1995. 

• Acuerdos Legislativos que conceden franquicia a favor de otros: Art. 131 de la Constitución de la República. 

• Franquicias Municipales: Código Municipal, Decreto Legislativo No. 274, publicado en el Diario Oficial No. 23, Tomo No. 290, de fecha 05/02/1986. 

• Franquicias Diplomáticas: Decreto Legislativo No. 45, publicado en el Diario Oficial No. 148, Tomo No. 324, de fecha 15/08/1994. 

• Franquicias para Residentes Rentistas: Ley Especial para Residentes Rentistas y su Reglamento, Decreto Legislativo No.476, publicado en el Diario Oficial No.222, Tomo No. 241 de fecha 28/11/1973 y Decreto Legislativo No. 681, Reformas a la Ley Especial para Residentes Rentistas, publicado en el Diario Oficial No. 208, Tomo No. 341 de fecha 10/11/1993. 

• Artículo 317 del Reglamento del Código Aduanero Uniforme Centroamericano (RECAUCA) 

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure:  

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements 

TABLE OF DOCUMENTS FOR TAX EXEMPTION REQUIREMENTS 

Customs Clearance 

General Information  

Customs Clearance Document Requirements 

• Note: 1. Goods entering into the country coming from South America are checked by DAN (Dirección de Anti-narcóticos). 

• 2. For the goods which need approval from the Ministry of Health, a pharmaceutical chemicals visa is required. 

• 3. Food entering to the country need to go through a scan and pay 

Transit Regime 

Internal transit is a simple process through Central American countries. Basically, a declaration must be stated at the Customs office where the goods are entering the region in order to obtain a temporary permit for internal transit. Depending on whether the goods have origin in Central America or not, a different kind of declaration will be stated in each case. For Central American products, the declaration is called FAUCA, Formulario Aduanero Unico Centroamericano. For products with origins outside Central America, the declaration is called, Declaración de Mercancías para el Tránsito Aduanero Internacional Terrestre, or also known as DTI. 

All regulations concerning this declaration are expressed in the Reglamento sobre el Régimen de Tránsito Aduanero Internacional Terrestre ,Formulario de Declaración e instructivo (pages 313-336: RECOPILACION DE LEYES ADUANERAS, Editorial Jurídica Salvadoreña, 6ª Edición Lic.Ricardo Mendoza Orantes 2006). 

The following Flow shows the process for transit trucks in El Salvador