The five countries of the Southern Cone - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay - are highly exposed to a combination of factors such as floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts, health emergencies, densely populated urban areas, political instability and internal disturbances that exacerbate the vulnerabilities of large poor and marginalized populations. This situation, combined by high levels of inequity and lack of access to basic services, makes communities more vulnerable and sets a major humanitarian challenge, which is addressed