Island disaster para-diplomacy in the Commonwealth

Abstract

This chapter covers one particular aspect of the foreign relations of non-sovereign island jurisdictions (SNIJs), namely relations arising from disaster-related activities. Islands are among the territories most seriously affected by calamities, including the spectre of rising seas that may come with climate change. Yet non-sovereign islands are not so well equipped to speak and act effectively for themselves in the face of such threats. This may be true even within the governing structures in which these islands find themselves, but it is even more serious given the weaknesses that may exist in their capacity to speak to and act in the international community on disaster-related activities. This chapter explores this issue of 'disaster para-diplomacy' for nonsovereign island jurisdictions, drawing on the para-diplomacy work of Duchacek et at. (1988), Michelmann and Soldatos (1990), Soldatos (1993) and Lecours (2002), and adapting it to address the special circumstances of island disaster para-diplomacy where a SNIJ could interact with foreign governments and with international agencies.For SNlJs, determining responsibility for pre-disaster actions, such as planning and mitigation, and post-disaster actions, such as response and recovery, is not always straightforward, even if legal responsibilities are clearly delineated. Where a SNIJ and its governing state's capital are far apart -geographically as well as in terms of communication, culture and/or cooperation -an event could affect the SNIJ without the national authorities realizing, or being willing to accept, the extent of the impact. Similarly, internationally or nationally mandated programmes related to disaster risk reduction (e.g. UNISDR, 2005, including national platforms for disaster-risk reduction) might be implemented inappropriately from the SNlJs' perspective because less attention is given to the SNlJs' needs compared with (typically much larger) national needs, as determined by and from the capital. Where perceived or real inadequacies arise in a state's disaster-related activities, a SNIJ has five principal options, some of them interconnected:• Do nothing.• Pursue full sovereignty or more autonomy from the state.• Focus on improving the state's actions.• Focus on improving the SNIJ's capabilities.• Focus on dealing directly with international organizations and other governments.

Disaster risk reduction on non-sovereign islands: La Réunion and Mayotte, France

“…That perception is especially true for disaster vulnerability (Kelman et al 2006) even when livelihoods, or traditional ways of living that are safer, are undermined by non-sovereignty. Perceiving the island's situation unidirectionally, either top-down (by the mainlanders) or bottom-up (by the islanders), sets up a dichotomy that tends to increase vulnerability due to non-sovereignty.…”

“…Lewis 1990Lewis , 1999Lewis , 2009Méheux et al 2007;Pelling and Uitto 2001;CICERO and UNEP/ GRID-Arendal 2008). Islands that are overseas territories of countries face particular political constraints in terms of legislation, regulations, and diplomatic protocols which impact disaster-related measures such as asking for external assistance (Kelman et al 2006). Yet disaster studies of non-sovereign islands cover mainly Anglophone islands, with limited studies on overseas territories of non-Anglophone countries.…”

“…He denounced the paternalistic intervention of the French authorities and the disruption it caused to the traditional way of life and the local economies. Kelman et al (2006) explored such aspects of non-sovereignty for DRR on Commonwealth islands. That illustrated the tension between non-sovereign island characteristics increasing vulnerability, such as due to remoteness and isolation, and decreasing vulnerability, due to the governing state often having an obligation to assist their nonsovereign territories, through both pre-disaster (e.g.…”

World Heritage Site selection in sensitive areas: Andaman and Nicobar Islands

“…Authors, such as Andrews and Sankaran (2002), Rajavel (1998) and Reddy (2005), argue that tourism infrastructure and accommodation services remain poor when compared with the Indian mainland destinations and other Indian Ocean islands such as the Maldives and Mauritius. As ANI is a subnational island jurisdiction (Kelman, Davies, Mitchell, Orr, & Conrich, 2006), it must manage and negotiate with its parent state (India) in order to address issues, such as tourism. Such governmental structure slows down attention from the central Government of India to concentrate on infrastructure development issues or to control the negative impacts of tourism.…”

Integrating indigenous and scientific knowledge bases for disaster risk reduction in papua new guinea

“…This article examines how indigenous and scientific knowledge was integrated to establish disaster risk reduction strategies for three indigenous communities affected by environmental hazards in Morobe and Madang Provinces, Papua New Guinea (PNG), which is officially a Small Island Developing State. The choice of a SIDS for case studies, irrespective of the diversity of SIDS, is important because past work demonstrates not only the exacerbated challenges and vulnerabilities that these places face from environmental hazards, but also the creative, locally based solutions that are often developed and tested in SIDS -which then become useful for other locations (Dolman 1985;Lewis 1999;Pelling and Uitto 2001;Howorth 2005;Méheux et al 2006;Kelman et al 2006;Kelman, 2007Kelman, , 2008Mercer et al 2007).…”