Official Responses

Complete Report

Summary

This report is the first ever assessment of World Bank assistance for natural disasters, and one of the most comprehensive reviews of disaster preparedness and response ever conducted. The report calls for new thinking that integrates predictable disaster risks into development programs. The report concludes that it is possible to anticipate where many natural disasters will strike, yet expresses concerns that the World Bank's disaster assistance efforts are underutilizing these vital lifesaving forecasts.

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Foreword

English [PDF 72k]
Español [PDF 74k]
Français [PDF 74k]

Executive Summary

English [PDF 110k]
Español [PDF 116k]
Français [PDF 117k]

Chapter 1: Nature, Disaster, and Recovery

	Natural disasters are becoming increasingly destructive.
	The Bank is increasingly involved in responding to natural disasters.
	Bank policy on emergency lending has been revised three times, but without the benefit of evaluation or knowledge about Bank experience with natural disasters.
	The Bank's strategic planning for disaster has been limited.

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Chapter 2: The World Bank Responds

	Since 1984 the Bank has financed natural disaster activities in 528 projects for $26,281 million.
	The Bank has approved 89 ERLs over the period and the instrument is increasingly used in disaster responses.
	The largest number of disaster projects were implemented in the rural sector.
	Lending is highly concentrated—10 countries accounted for 208 projects.
	Reallocations have been a large part of the Bank's response— $3,047 million from 217 projects has been reallocated over 20 years.
	Projects have been best at restoring physical assets: 115 completed projects successfully restored damaged infrastructure.

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Chapter 3: Disasters and Bank Strategy

	Natural disasters are more predictable than commonly believed.
	Reallocations are concentrated in highly vulnerable countries.
	Reallocations are concentrated in highly vulnerable countries.
	Categorizing borrowing countries according to their vulnerability would help in formulating country lending programs, especially in highly vulnerable countries.

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Chapter 4: Relevance of Bank Assistance

	The Bank has responded flexibly with a wide variety of activities.
	Without advance preparation, doing things in order of priority can be difficult.
	When activities are done and how long they take to complete are at least as important as what activities are done.
	A quick reaction may not lead to the most relevant response.
	Many important activities require long implementation times.
	Most activities financed by the Bank take more than three years to complete.
	Of 59 completed ERLs, only 10 have had follow-on projects.
	Existing lending mechanisms do not significantly accelerate project processing and usually do not expedite the disbursement of funds.
	More recent projects are, on average, slower than those of a few years ago.
	Three-quarters of disaster assessments have led to an ERL..

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Chapter 5: Social Dimensions of Disaster

	An immediate response that ignores local power structures, social groups, and differences in vulnerability can make recovery more difficult.
	Participation by local leaders and communities can help ensure an effective recovery.
	In housing, the goal should be to help the disaster homeless, focus on the poorest, and encourage mitigation measures that will help reduce the impact of future disasters.
	When relocation is required, care is needed to ensure that those relocated have jobs and an environment that offers the potential to rebuild social cohesion.
	Disaster impacts and recovery vary, depending on social vulnerability and level of risk.
	Cash support can be vital to the recovery of the poor.
	Women's particular vulnerability can be addressed through improved data gathering, targeting, and equitable treatment.

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Chapter 6: Bank Policy: Implementation and Implications

	Coverage of the policy has expanded, but the same guidance is not appropriate for all emergencies.
	Prohibitions on the financing of relief and consumption and on the use of ERLs for recurring events are unrealistic and unnecessary.
	With minor modification, the available forms of emergency assistance serve borrower needs and give staff necessary flexibility.
	The requirement to build to disaster-resilient standards needs reinforcement.
	Assistance with prevention and mitigation is growing, but procedural issues need to be resolved.
	Provisions for operation and maintenance in Bank-financed projects need improvement.
	When the Bank is involved, highly effective donor coordination requires a consistent Bank presence.