Experiences of National Governments in Expanding Their Role in Humanitarian Preparedness and Response

This paper examines in what ways the governments of El Salvador, Mozambique, Indonesia and the Philippines have strengthened their countries’ disaster management systems. Furthermore, it analyses what stimulated the assumption of leadership, how the systems have been strengthened, and how national and international actors contributed to the changes. Additionally, gaps and challenges in each country’s capacity strengthening process is identified. Finally, this paper identifies what needs to happen in order to strengthen national disaster management capacity and provide recommendations to national and international actors involved in capacity strengthening efforts.