Searching for General Principles to Guide the Design of Effective Disaster Mitigation Policy in Developing Countries: Part 2

The attempts it made to determine policies that effectively mitigate disasters and the averse consequences of disasters in developing countries. In this, the second part of this discussion, attention concentrates on considering a range of policies recommendations directed at mitigating the consequences of disasters. The initial section of the discussion concentrates on providing a brief discussion of long-term policies directed at stimulating certain types of real economic growth. Attention then turns to considering a range of shorter-term policy recommendations directed, essentially, at mitigating various types of failures in private market systems. Both efficiency and equity issues are taken into account in this discussion. Assistance-for-work programs are identified as a central component of any efficient and equitable disaster-mitigation policy. It is emphasised, however, that this policy tool wll need to be modified, and/or combined with other relevant policy tools, to make the overall policy program as effective as seems reasonably possible.