Strengthening Financial Resilience to Disasters in Asia: Exploring Regional Solutions

Countries across Asia are at different stages of development and face different levels of exposure to disaster risks. Countries with higher levels of economic development and rapid growth have large and growing assets exposed. These countries are often concerned with large losses that occur from damage to infrastructure and economic disruption. Countries with poor and vulnerable rural populations will be concerned with reducing disaster impact on households and livelihoods. Acting together, countries can create joint mechanisms for disaster risk finance that substantially increase the financial resilience of each participant. Regional platforms on disaster risk finance confer benefits far beyond money.