Paper details
| Paper authors | Oscar A. GOMEZ |
| In panel on | Disaster Risk Reduction in Fragile, Conflict-Affected, and Vulnerable (FCV) Contexts: Strategies for Protracted Crises |
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Abstract
Disaster management in contexts of armed conflict has received increasing attention. One motivation is the convergence of vulnerability and poverty, which obstructs efforts to foster the security and development of less advantaged societies and populations. Moreover, the work that the disaster management community has been advancing in developing multi-hazard systems for risk management, which is further complicated by armed conflicts, is also relevant. However, the focus has been limited to critical cases and short-term perspectives on the interaction of conflicts, disasters, and their management. With more than a century of experience, the Colombian case provides a complementary perspective on the evolution of institutions for disaster response, recovery, prevention, and preparedness within the context of a prolonged internal armed conflict. The article provides a general overview of the history of conflict and disasters in the country, then focuses on the most significant episodes of the interaction between threats and their institutions, specifically:
1. The identity and division of labor among relevant actors,
2. The possibility of pioneering work in both prevention and response,
3. The complementarity of institutions responsible for peace and disasters, and
4. The evolution of the critical infrastructure threat.
The article suggests that pessimistic short-term perspectives should be balanced with longer-term plans for disaster risk management, moderating expectations, and strategically approaching the challenges and opportunities of armed conflict contexts.
