Covid-19 and Cooperation in Times of Disaster

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic has made it apparent that nation states have different capacities to detect, effectively respond to, and manage highly infectious diseases. Concomitantly, the resources necessary to support robust health systems are distributed inequitably, which inevitably places greater stress on societies with the most vulnerable health infrastructure. Every nation, even those predicted to have comparatively robust health capacities, found their health systems overwhelmed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This chapter analyzes the international obligations of capacity-building and cooperation. It finds that international disaster law is a helpful framework for responding to complex international emergencies which span different legal regimes. It concludes that the potential utility of international disaster law for addressing issues witnessed with the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond is worth greater investigation.

Keywords: International law, international disaster law, global public health law, COVID-19, cooperation, capacity-building, health infrastructureglobal public health law, health capacity, world health organization, pandemic, ICESCR, public health response capacities, Sendai Framework