UCC Disaster Research Cluster hosts expert roundtable on the Protection of Persons in the event of Disasters

8 Sep 2025

As part of our ongoing engagement with the development of international law, Dr Marie Aronsson-Storrier and Dr Dug Cubie hosted an expert roundtable on the proposed UN Convention on the Protection of Persons in the event of Disasters at the UCC Sustainability Institute on 1^st September 2025.

The UN General Assembly has requested states to comment by the end of 2025 on the development of a new international convention to promote international humanitarian cooperation between states in the event of major natural and human-made hazards. The UCC Disaster Research Cluster welcomed leading international experts from Italy, the United Kingdom, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the UN General Assembly’s Sixth (Legal) Committee to discuss key aspects of the proposed convention, including disaster risk reduction and coherence with other international law texts such as the proposed pandemic treaty. In particular, the discussions addressed how the convention could help domestic emergency planning and response, as well as supporting Ireland’s humanitarian assistance for countries affected by disasters.

The event was jointly organised with the Yearbook of International Disaster Law, with generous support from the UCC College of Business & Law Research Enhancement Fund, and held under the Chatham House Rule. A report from the roundtable will be available in due course.

For more information on the work of the UCC Disaster Research Cluster, see: www.ucc.ie/en/ccjhr/researchclusters/disasterlaw/