State capacity and disaster risk management

Natural disasters serve as a critical test of state capacity, revealing how well governments anticipate risks, maintain institutions, and manage reconstruction resources with transparency. While governments cannot prevent geological events, they influence vulnerability through construction regulations, prevention investment, and oversight of emergency funds.

The Sendai Framework, an international document adopted by United Nations member states, emphasizes the central role of the state in understanding, governing, and reducing disaster risks. The experiences of Ecuador, Mexico, Haiti, and Chile illustrate how different institutional realities impact disaster management.

In Ecuador, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in April 2016 caused significant casualties and infrastructure damage. Subsequent investigations into the reconstruction of Manabí revealed institutional vulnerabilities, including documented irregularities and criminal responsibilities regarding the management of reconstruction funds.