Unveiling Disaster Diplomacy with Ilan Kelman

Crisis Lab

In this episode, host Kyle King sits down with Dr. Ilan Kelman as he shares his insights on disaster diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and sustainable development. Dr. Kelman is a Professor of Disasters and Health at University College London, England and a Professor II at the University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway. His overall research interest is linking disasters and health, integrating climate change into both.

Join Dr. Ilan Kelman in this insightful podcast episode as he shares his expertise on disaster diplomacy and migration, and the importance of investing in the stability of countries to reduce the potential for mass migration.

Show Highlights

[01:56] Dr. Ilan Kelman explains the origins and the evolution of disaster diplomacy. [03:47] How disaster diplomacy can promote peace, and the importance of understanding the politics behind disasters

[08:17] The challenges in using diplomacy for disaster response and aid

[12:32] How international diplomacy evolved in leveraging disasters for aid and exploring changes in international mechanism

[18:05] How climate change may shift disaster diplomacy towards relief, science, and cooperation in food and water security

[23:35] Expectations for future climate-induced forced migration and its impact predictions. [28:20] The challenges of quantifying disaster diplomacy, and the need for personal connections and informal links to promote peace

[31:11] Balancing neutrality and politics in disaster response for long-term peace and saving lives

[35:11] The importance of incremental efforts to increase stability, and the need for people with power to seek peace

Connect with Dr. Ilan Kelman
-LinkedIn