Alumni Publication: "Changing tides: Responding to China’s emergence in Indo-Pacific humanitarian assistance and disaster relief" by Dr. Frédéric Grare
On 18 July 2024, the Australian National University (ANU) National Security College (NSC) published NESA Center alum Dr. Frédéric Grare's latest research paper on ways to enhance cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the Indo-Pacific.
Executive summary:
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations are becoming a central theme of Indo-Pacific cooperation. The increasing number of catastrophic events – linked in particular to climate change – calls for collective responses. However, geopolitical trends are simultaneously changing the perception of HADR. As China’s relations with the US and its partners are becoming increasingly competitive, so does HADR, which has become a key instrument in the tussle for influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Key points:
- The future of HADR operations will involve transforming HADR recipient states from consumers to stakeholders, an endeavour complicated by the gap between their political will for greater appropriation of HADR and their capacities.
- Attempts to improve coordination mechanisms are bound to lead to compromises, where political considerations will increasingly be given space, but operational considerations will still prevail.
About the Author
Dr. Frédéric Grare is a Senior Research Fellow at the ANU National Security College. Grare joined NSC in 2023 as part of an expert program sponsored by the government of France. He has more than 30 years’ experience in think tanks, defense, and diplomacy. Frédéric has published widely on security and governance issues in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
About the Publisher
The ANU National Security College is a joint initiative of the ANU and the Commonwealth Government. The College is independent in its activities, research and editorial judgment and does not take institutional positions on policy issues. NSC offers specialist graduate studies, professional and executive education, futures analysis, and a national platform for trusted and independent policy dialogue.
The views presented in this article are those of the speaker or author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD or its components.
