Financing Disaster Risk Reduction: Exploring the Opportunities, Challenges, and Threats Within the Southern African Development Community Region

Abstract The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, a regional economic body comprised of 16 member states, is one our planet’s most vulnerable regions to natural hazards, and has complex disaster risk profile. region sustained several disasters over the past decades. These events include annual floods in 2004–2019 extreme droughts (1990–1993); other climate-induced disasters, such as cyclones, also have had devastating impacts, particularly on Indian Ocean island states east coast countries. To reduce impacts governments must invest reduction (DRR). However, interventions aimed at reducing social vulnerability investing long-term mitigation activities are often few, poorly funded, insignificant comparison with money spent humanitarian assistance, relief, post-disaster reconstruction. This study investigated whether DRR adequately funded within SADC light high stakes human life, infrastructure, losses potential savings involved. applied qualitative research design data collected through semistructured interviews focus group discussions. Respondents were selected purposefully snowball sampling total 67 respondents from Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe participating study. findings reveal that inadequately all consulted funding allocated response. In underfunding experienced by activities, this provides platform for lobbying advocacy adequate DRR.