A collaborative framework for cross-border disaster management in the Balkans

Disasters, marked by their sudden and profound impacts on human life, property, and the environment, necessitate a comprehensive management approach. This approach comprises mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery phases, involving the engagement of various stakeholders (state/government, first responders' agencies, humanitarian organizations, emergency management research institutes). Preparedness, in particular, is essential to ensure an effective response to disasters. This research explored disaster management, with a specific focus on cross-border disasters within the Balkan region. Cross-border disasters, which extend beyond international borders and impact multiple countries and communities, present distinctive challenges due to the need for coordination and cooperation between diverse national governments and organizations. The research's exploration concentrated on the dimension of emergency preparedness management in the context of cross-border disasters in the Balkans, with a specific emphasis on the strategic preparedness phase of cross-border emergency management. This endeavor marked the pioneering attempt to provide a holistic and integrated approach to a joint cross-border preparedness disaster management framework for the Balkan region. The developed cross-border framework represents the final elements that needed to be present for all the Balkan countries when dealing together with cross-border disasters. It stems from the unanimous agreement, through the implemented Delphi study, of all the representative emergency management groups of experts from the participating countries. The outcomes serve as the foundation through the framework and hold the potential to lay the groundwork for the establishment of the first Balkan Civil Protection Observatory, providing support to the Balkan nations in civil protection and disaster management.