Opportunities for regional cooperation in disaster risk financing

This study aims to improve the understanding of the opportunities and challenges offered by sovereign risk pools in Asia and the Pacific as a form of disaster risk financing.

The first chapter provides an introduction to global activities in the area of disaster risk financing. In particular, it summarizes the current state of play of sovereign risk transfer in Asia-Pacific and discusses the potential catalytic role that the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) could play in expanding the use of sovereign risk transfer to build resilience across the region. Chapter 2 presents the global landscape and relevant experience in sovereign risk financing; Chapter 3 presents key innovations in disaster risk transfer which have underpinned its recent expansion in the development space; Chapter 4 explores the feasibility of sovereign risk financing and potential models for its wider use across the Asia-Pacific region; and Chapter 5 outlines the resources available to ESCAP, exploring how they might be best deployed to support sovereign risk financing.