Disaster governance in the southwest Pacific: Perspectives, challenges, and future pathways for ASEAN
The Southwest Pacific is considered one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to natural hazards. This policy report explores disaster governance in the Southwest Pacific as an area of potential cooperation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Particular attention is paid to Fiji and Tonga, both of which, like their counterparts in ASEAN, have standing militaries that are first responders in disasters. Fiji is also home to the headquarters of regional organisations and, therefore, the centre of regional cooperation in the Southwest Pacific.
The following steps are recommended for potential future cooperation between the Southwest Pacific and ASEAN on disaster governance:
- Develop an inter-regional ASEAN–Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) disaster governance agreement;
- Supplement national capacity with technical and disaster management specialists through a joint ASEAN–PIF roster;
- Encourage ASEAN to extend access to its disaster management training programs & joint simulation exercises to the Pacific Island States (PIS);
- Expand Singapore’s role as a humanitarian and disaster risk financing hub through the experiences of Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI) & Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility (SEADRIF).