Disaster risk management programs for priority countries

Abstract

This is the 2nd edition of the Disaster Risk Management Program for Priority Countries, originally published by GFDRR in 2009. It now includes the country programs missing in the first edition (Burkina Faso, Malawi, Mali, Senegal, and Philippines1) as well as an update of the DRM Country Program for Haiti (to take into account the impact of the January 2010 earthquake), Panama, Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica. As indicated in the previous edition, the presented programs are indicative, as the detailed planning and implementation phases have started, further dialogue with the Governments and other partners has refined the agendas and prioritized interventions. 13 country programs have already received an initial allocation totaling $22.86M, representing 25.25% of the total $90.522M planned for these country programs. Ethiopia ($1.75M), Malawi ($1M), Mali ($1.4M), Mozambique ($1.46M), Nepal ($1.8M), Senegal ($1.4M), Solomon Islands ($2M), Togo ($1.75M), Indonesia ($2M), Vietnam ($2M), Djibouti ($1M), Haiti ($4.8M) and Panama ($500k).In each priority country, GFDRR has hired DRM Specialists to facilitate a more effective implementation of the respective country programs as well as a greater DRR harmonization at the country level among all the key partners, including better integration of the DRR and climate adaptation as part of the overall national development agendas.GFDRR is in the process of implementing its Results Agenda, which remains one of its top priorities. The GFDRR Results Model provides an innovative way forward and a methodology for quantifying DRM Mainstreaming Progress and Impacts across all priority countries, which will further strengthen the strategic positioning of our efforts. Preliminary operationalization of the GFDRR Results Framework has resulted in unearthing key findings, which in turn completes the virtuous cycle of mainstreaming a results-based thinking in everything that GFDRR does. The ability to view GFDRR impact on country performance helps GFDRR strategically focus on its portfolio of countries. The ability to measure our impact in a country and to be able to look at the performance of that country simultaneously would help us in strategically positioning our efforts to be able to extract the most return on investment with respect to developmental impact.At its 5th meeting in Copenhagen in November 2008, the GFDRR Consultative Group asked the Secretariat to focus on a select group of priority countries to achieve increased impact.In GFDRR s Track II, Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction in Development, this lead to a prioritization of operations in 20 core countries, including Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Nepal, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Togo, Vietnam, and Republic of Yemen. The countries were selected due to their high vulnerability to natural hazards and low economic resilience to cope with disaster impacts including anticipated climate change and variability. Two thirds of the countries are least developed countries and twelve are highly indebted poor countries. Nine are from Africa and several others are Small Island States at high risk.These 20 core countries will receive 80 percent of available funds while 20 percent will be made available for flexible, innovative, high impact grants, such as those that catalyze increased investment programs and integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in development in any disaster prone country.GFDRR will also systemize and deepen its engagement in eleven single donor trust fund countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Lao PDR, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Vanuatu, using funding made available by the concerned donors.To develop a strategic and integrated vision, GFDRR is preparing comprehensive programs for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation for the next three to five years in each of the priority and donor earmarked countries.