ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to present an overview of the problems relating to the shaping of national security through the assistance of international emergency mechanisms and disaster risk reduction (DRR). Focusing on this unique connection (the mechanisms, DRR and national security) requires the preliminary identification of general manners of shaping national security. Manner 1 is based on shaping the internal determinants of national security. Manner 2 concerns the influence of the internal determinants related to the environment of a national security system. Manner 3 addresses external national security determinants, which are related to the interior of the system. International emergency mechanisms (UNDAC, INSARAG, NATO, UCPM) correspond to all the manners outlined here. They have forms of semi-institutional organisations set up for common, high-quality and synergistic efforts to protect the most important utilitarian values (human life and health, property and environment). Their operations may provide direct supplementary ways of shaping national security (for example, multi-state communication and information sharing, direct operational support to rescue human life and health, increasing effectiveness of trainings, research and technology development). The relevant process can be designed on the basis of issues constituting DRR (decreasing strength of hazards, facing vulnerabilities, shortening exposition, increasing coping capacities and building resilience) as well as being classified in terms of the manners of shaping national security. The research results are theoretical in nature and provide a framework for describing particular mechanisms and case studies concerning the practical use of the mechanisms.
