“We Are Used to It”: Regional Disaster Diplomacy of Typhoon Haiyan 2013

Bendegúz Papp

doi:10.14764/10.ASEAS-0143

Authors

Bendegúz Papp Péter Catholic University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8905-8361

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14764/10.ASEAS-0143

Keywords:

Disaster Diplomacy, Philippines, Storm, Typhoon Haiyan, CAS Method

Abstract

Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 was one of the most destructive events of modern Southeast Asia. The Philippines and Vietnam suffered the greatest loss with more than 7,000 deaths and an economic damage of more than 10 billion USD. This research examines the tropical monsoon and its effects on regional disaster diplomacy, namely, what role the disaster and its management played in ASEAN. The methodological framework of the study is the Complex Adaptive System (CAS) which is applied through four properties and three mechanisms. According to the results, the events can be considered quite controversial in a diplomatic sense: despite the level of global humanitarian assistance, ASEAN states were characterized by aloofness and fear of sovereignty. Due to this behavior, disaster relief and disaster recovery were not effective enough either. Nevertheless, in its official communication, ASEAN recorded typhoon-related disaster prevention cooperation as a success story.

Author Biography

Bendegúz Papp, Péter Catholic University

Bendegúz Papp is a researcher at the Modern East Asian Research Group at Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest. He is specialized in international security, disaster management collaboration, and disaster diplomacy, with a specific focus on Southeast Asia.

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