The New Federal Emergency Agency: A Necessary Response to Disasters in Argentina

The Argentina National Government launched through the Decree 225/2025 establishes the Federal Emergency Agency (AFE) , a new agency under the Ministry of National Security , tasked with improving the response to natural disasters by coordinating resources to prevent, assist, and recover affected areas.

This agency was born in a context of devastating forest fires in Patagonia . In recent months, provinces such as Neuquén, Río Negro, and Chubut have suffered massive fires that destroyed more than 37,000 hectares of native forests, affecting national parks and forcing many families to evacuate their homes. In fact, Greenpeace warned that this has been one of the worst fire seasons in the last 30 years. Faced with this crisis, The need for a structure that can react quickly and in a coordinated manner became more evident than ever.

To ensure it works well, the AFE will work under two key laws:

• Law No. 27,287 : Creates the National System for Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection (SINAGIR) , responsible for organizing the response to emergencies.

• Law No. 26,815 : Regulates Fire Management , establishing standards to prevent and control forest and rural fires.

  
  

The agency will be led by an Executive Director , along with a Deputy Director , both appointed by current Argentine President Javier Milei. In addition to coordinating emergency teams, they will also manage the National Emergency Alert and Monitoring System (SINAME), a key system for quickly detecting and responding to any disaster.

In conclusion, the creation of the "AFE" (Federal Emergency Agency) seeks to strengthen the State's response capacity to natural disasters and emergencies , avoiding disorganization and overlapping tasks among different agencies, which in the past complicated assistance in critical moments. This new structure seeks to centralize resources and efforts , guaranteeing a faster and more effective response to natural disasters. The recent crisis in Patagonia made it clear that improvisation is no longer possible, and this new agency promises to be a necessary change to protect both people and the environment.