A detailed assessment if being done of drought behaviour and evolution at regional and local levels, through the implementation of a Regional Drought Surveillance and Diagnosis System based on a surveillance system developed by the Meteorology Institute of Cuba. Building on this system, a detailed assessment of this phenomenon has been performed in the regions of Mesoamerica and the Caribbean (http://www.insmet.cu/sequia/amigo.htm), and the system is being deployed in countries of the Region. By 2008 it had directly benefitted Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Peru.

As part of the projections of FRIEND AMIGO LAC on this issue, work is being done towards the extension to South America of the regional assessment and the establishment of an online remote drought behavior and evolution assessment and diagnosis system.