Enhancing Resilience through Policy Frameworks: The Role of Regional Cooperation in Disaster Risk Management in South Asia

BIPSS Research Assistant Saraf Wasima, in this commentary, explores the necessity of regional cooperation in disaster risk management (DRM) in South Asia, emphasizing the transboundary nature of disasters like cyclones, floods, and earthquakes. She highlights the region’s growing vulnerabilities due to climate change, rapid urbanization, and socio-economic disparities, underscoring the limitations of national approaches.

Despite existing frameworks like the SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) and national disaster management policies, the effectiveness of regional collaboration remains constrained by political discord, funding gaps, and institutional weaknesses. She advocates for strengthened policy integration, enhanced data-sharing mechanisms, and coordinated emergency response strategies to build a more resilient South Asia.

Drawing on case studies from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, she examines the successes and shortcomings of regional response efforts, highlighting the need for structured, binding agreements and improved financial mechanisms such as a regional disaster risk insurance model. Wasima calls for stronger governance, cross-border coordination, and public-private partnerships to enhance disaster preparedness and recovery, positioning South Asia as a more resilient and adaptive region in the face of climate-driven disasters.