Advancing policy coherence for disaster resilience in the SADC

The rising risks and impact of disasters and climate change uncertainties in Southern Africa necessitate adopting policy coherence as a vital strategy for building disaster resilience and achieving sustainable development. This paper explores the conceptual understanding and practical application of policy coherence within the domains of disaster resilience and sustainable development. As a fundamental pillar of the 2030 Agenda, policy coherence is crucial in aligning global, regional, and national policy frameworks to achieve collective disaster resilience and sustainability. Data collection included analysis of 12 documents, 45 key informant interviews, and survey questionnaires with 88 respondents from different organisations and institutions. Study findings indicate that while awareness of the linkages between sustainable development, climate change adaptation (CCA), and disaster risk reduction (DRR) is improving, there is limited understanding of policy coherence and its application within the SADC region. This limited understanding has led to key challenges, including sectoral silos, competition for resources, and institutional inertia. To address these barriers, strong political leadership, institutional reforms, and dedicated financing are crucial for harmonising existing frameworks, enhancing institutional capacity, and developing mechanisms that reduce policy fragmentation. Without such measures, achieving resilience-driven sustainable development in the SADC region will remain an uphill battle.