Authorized Users in South America
Satellite imagery is a fundamental tool for disaster management, enabling the rapid assessment of affected areas, supporting emergency response operations, and assisting decision-making processes. When a disaster occurs, the Authorized Users (AUs) of the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters (Disasters Charter) can request satellite imagery and remote sensing products free of charge.
Authorized Users are national disaster management authorities designated by national governments to act in disaster management activities. These institutions are registered with the Disasters Charter through a formal application process and the submission of supporting documentation. Find out how to become an Authorized User.
South America currently has 10 Authorized Users representing Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The remaining South American countries may also be supported by international organizations partnered with the Charter, such as the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), through its UN-SPIDER programme and UNOSAT / UNITAR, which can request activations on behalf of affected countries. French Guiana, in turn, is supported by France through its own institutional mechanisms.
The Authorized Users in South America are:
- Argentina: AFE - SINAGIR
- Bolivia: SINAGER-SAT
- Brazil: CENAD
- CENSIPAM
- Chile: SENAPRED
- Colombia: National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD)
- Ecuador: Secretaria Nacional de Gestion de Riesgos (SNGR)
- Paraguay: Secretaria de Emergencia Nacional (SEN)
- Peru: INDECI
- Uruguay: SINAE
- Venezuela: Civil Protection of Venezuela
The first activation of the International Charter in South America took place on January 25, 2001, in response to an oil spill in Ecuador, requested by the European Commission Civil Protection Unit. This activation had major environmental significance because it affected San Cristóbal Island, in the Galápagos archipelago, an area globally recognized for its extraordinary biodiversity and ecological importance.
Between January 2001 and June 2026, a total of 164 Disasters Charter activations were recorded in South America. Chile leads the number of activations with 29 events, followed by Brazil (26), Argentina (25), Bolivia (20), Colombia (19), Peru (14), Ecuador (13), Venezuela (7), Paraguay (5), Uruguay (3), Guyana (2), and Suriname (1). Some activations may be repeated if they occurred in more than one country during a disaster.
Some examples of Value Added Products related to recent activations in South America:
The activations highlighted unusual events such as the search for Missing South Korean Cargo Vessel (Activation ID 528) in the coast of Brazil and the Search and Rescue of Submarine, in the coast of Argentina (Activation ID 561), both in 2017.
It is also important to highlight that several activations in South America were requested by Authorized Users from other countries, such as the Sistema Federal de Emergencias - SIFEM (Argentina), currently called the Sistema Nacional para la Gestión Integral del Riesgo - SINAGIR, which activated the Charter for Ecuador (Volcanic Eruption) in 2008, and in 2010 for Bolivia (Flood in Bolivia) and Colombia (Flood in Colombia), and recently, the National Center for Risk and Disaster Management - CENAD (Brazil), which activated it for fires in Bolivia in 2024 These collaborations greatly assist in disaster management helping people around the world.
The South American Charter activations play a big role in ensuring that the benefits of the International Charter reach all cities and regions throughout the continent. By acting as the interface between national disaster management systems and the Disasters Charter, these institutions contribute to faster response actions, improved situational awareness, and more effective decision-making during emergencies. Their continued collaboration strengthens regional capacity to address current and future disaster challenges.