Nations from South Asia, the Arctic Circle, and the former Soviet Republics are in the process of developing various agreements aimed at improving regional disaster preparedness and cooperation.
Each of these initiatives represents important progress in the development of regional instruments to enhance legal preparedness for disasters. They also highlight the recognition by states of the importance of regional instruments for this purpose.
Arctic Council
An unprecedented agreement was negotiated in December last year by the eight Arctic nations, (the United States, Canada, Russia, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway), establishing areas where each state will take responsibility for search and rescue operations in the event of an accident or natural or man-made disaster. The impetus for this agreement was the continuing increase in human activity in these areas brought by the warming of Arctic waters, and the likely rise in search and rescue operations in the region.
The agreement was developed with the support of the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum established in 1996 made up of the eight Arctic nations, and includes the active participation of Arctic indigenous representatives.
The treaty is an important first step in improving search and rescue operations in the region in response to different disasters, and brings clarity to the states respective responsibilities in different areas of the Arctic waters.
The agreement is due to be finalised and signed by the foreign ministers of the Arctic nations at the 7th Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting on May 12th , 2011.
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has also been in the process of negotiating a regional agreement which will establish a reserve fund to provide assistance to states affected by natural and man-made emergency situations, which are unable to overcome the consequences of the disaster without international assistance.
The CIS has been looking at different ways in which to respond effectively to emergency situations and to strengthen mechanisms for mutual assistance among its members. CIS experts have agreed on a draft agreement establishing a reserve fund for this purpose; however the draft has yet to be submitted to the Council of CIS States for approval.
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
Similar developments have been taking place in South Asia, where the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has developed a draft agreement outlining a Natural Disaster Rapid Response Mechanism. The agreement, which was negotiated under the auspices of the SAARC Disaster Management Centre, provides for the establishment of a disaster response division and emergency operation unit at the Centre. The agreement is currently in circulation among SAARC member states, with the hope that it will be signed later in 2011.