Analysis of legal and regulatory frameworks for disaster risk management in Africa

This chapter analyses the legislative, policy, institutional framework for disaster risk management (DRM) in Africa. Contemporary disaster risk reduction research in Africa reveals that there is increasing vulnerability and economic losses from hazards/disasters due to deficiencies in legislative, policy and institutional arrangements that do not contain adequate disaster risk reduction measures. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the various legal and policy frameworks across the African Continent, and highlights how the majority of them are reactive rather than proactive and adopt a hierarchical top-down decision making and power structures not sufficiently empowering local authorities to efficiently perform DRM functions. The chapter ultimately calls for more comprehensive legal frameworks which can establish mandates for DRM stakeholders including recognisable functions, decision-making, roles and responsibilities, amongst other aspects of DRM.