This paper explores the links among natural disasters, climate change and economic development, and attempts to outline a framework for considering these links. The paper summarises the limited knowledge of the long-term economic impact of natural disasters. Drawing links among disasters, resource management, conflicts and other transmission channels is a necessary condition to develop an appropriate response. The paper argues that African governments along with their development partners need to develop a more robust adaptation and response capability to disasters as part of development planning. The paper makes the case for more market-based financing mechanisms than have been used hitherto and an emphasis on forecasting research. It also argues for more work on the links between climate change and disasters and a new way of looking at disaster resilience as a continuum to development strategy.