Introduction: International Law and Collaboration During Disasters

Abstract

Disaster management works at its pinnacle only with efficient international cooperation and collaboration. Many disasters have instilled in them so many multifaceted factors that it is almost impossible for a nation to tackle them on their own, and that is where regional and international cooperation comes into play. This cooperation is necessary at all national levels, which might require a coordinative body between the many branches which work even on local and national levels. The existence of current contemporary legal frameworks in this regard forms a kind of backbone in terms of the navigation a country might need when maneuvering through the waters of novel legislation in this field. The International Disaster Response Law (IDRL) guidelines, developed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, play a crucial role in promoting a common understanding of the legal obligations and responsibilities of states, international organizations, and humanitarian actors in disaster situations. Other pivotal legal instruments which are underscored by international cooperation and collaboration in disaster management are the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), which paid specific heed to a comprehensive approach attending to disaster risk reduction, preparedness, response, and recovery, and the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) system, which laid the bricks to support disaster-affected countries in assessing needs, coordinating humanitarian responses, and providing technical support to national authorities. The European Union has developed its share of tools for international cooperation as enshrined in the Disaster Assistance and Protection Program (DAPPED) which includes provisions for rapid response, coordination, and is designed to complement the efforts of affected countries and other international actors. Establishing the International Relief Union in 1921 marked the beginning of the origins of international disaster law, paving the way for the subsequent development of a sophisticated branch of international law over the course of the next century, although the whole system “[does] not constitute a coherent whole and most of those with a binding character are unevenly distributed across different geographical areas” (Giustiniani, 2021). Despite concerted efforts, a comprehensive legal framework surrounding disasters has yet to be formulated, as a result soft international law remains as a predominant component within the broader realm of international disaster law. The guidelines for the domestic facilitation and regulation of international disaster relief and initial recovery assistance (IDRL Guidelines), adopted in 2007, are milestone international legal standards regarding disaster management, although these are nonbonding soft international laws (https://disasterlaw.ifrc.org/idrlguidelines, accessed on 12 April 2023). Disaster management strongly needs collaboration and thus this is an integral part of international disaster law (Singh, 2018).