Network established under SEE2030 Strategy aims to improve preparedness, reduce the protection gap, and advance regional risk-sharing solutions

Athens - The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) hosted on 19 November in Athens the inaugural meeting of the South East Europe (SEE) Regional Network on Disaster Risk Insurance and Risk Sharing, a new platform established under the SEE2030 Strategy to strengthen regional financial resilience, enhance disaster preparedness, and foster cooperation across the region.

Organised by the RCC in partnership with the Hellenic Association of Insurance Companies (HAIC), the meeting gathered representatives of South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Participants, international organisations, and disaster-risk experts to address the region’s rising exposure to climate hazards and explore options for accessible and affordable disaster risk insurance solutions.

South East Europe is today among Europe’s most exposed regions to climate-related extremes. Eleven of Europe’s thirteen largest wildfires in 2024 occurred in the region, while only 12-13% of households hold any form of disaster insurance. This combination of high risk and low protection deepens vulnerability, puts significant pressure on government budgets, and increases reliance on external aid, underscoring the urgency of developing sustainable, regional risk-sharing mechanisms.

The event was co-chaired by Arslan Umut Ergezer, RCC Deputy Secretary General; Harry Theoharis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece; and Elina Papaspyropoulou, Director General of the Hellenic Association of Insurance Companies (HAIC).

In his opening remarks, RCC Deputy Secretary General Arslan Umut Ergezer emphasised the importance of coordinated regional action: “South East Europe is becoming increasingly exposed to climate shocks, yet our protection gap remains among the widest in Europe. Only around one in ten households in the Western Balkans is covered by disaster insurance. This Network, established under the SEE2030 Strategy, gives us a chance to turn fragmented efforts into shared, structured solutions, to pool knowledge, reduce risk, and work towards mechanisms that make disaster coverage more affordable for our citizens and more sustainable for our economies. Today’s discussions are not only about technical models. They are about resilience, solidarity, and our collective ability to protect people, businesses, and critical infrastructure in times of crisis.”

The meeting featured a presentation by Shenasi Iseni, Senior Political Advisor at RCC, who outlined the Network’s mandate, objectives, and Work Programme, and explained its role as a substructure of the SEE2030 Strategy Monitoring Committee.

Guest organisations, including European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Frankfurt School of Finance & Management gGmbH, Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South Eastern Europe (DPPI SEE), and Caisse Centrale de Reassurance (CCR), presented global and European trends in disaster risk insurance and reinsurance, lessons from existing regional risk pools, and recommendations for strengthening financial preparedness across the region.

Participants also discussed opportunities for cooperation on data generation and sharing, post-disaster cost calculation methodologies, capacity building, and potential public–private partnerships that could help reduce the fiscal burden of disasters. UNDP presented key findings from its desk review report, outlining initial options for assessing regional disaster insurance solutions.

SEECP Participants exchanged views on their legal and regulatory frameworks and discussed the possible launch of a regional feasibility study to assess joint disaster risk insurance options tailored to the needs of South East Europe.

Participants will continue refining the Network’s Work Programme ahead of its second meeting in 2026, including defining concrete steps towards advancing regional risk-sharing solutions under the SEE2030 Strategy.

More info about the Network