Overview

Our Key Objective The principal goal of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) group is to reduce human suffering and economic loss caused by natural and man-made disasters.Â

Â

Development for Prevention and Mitigation

Ensuring disaster prevention and mitigation are integral parts of development requires critical support and action. The DRM team provides technical support to World Bank operations, promotes capacity-building, and establishes partnerships with the international and scientific community dedicated to disaster issues. Specific objectives of the DRM team include:

• Improving disaster risk management capacity in member countries and reduce vulnerability in the World Bank portfolio;
  
• Promoting sustainable projects and initiatives that incorporate effective prevention and mitigation measures;
  
• Promoting the inclusion of risk analysis in World Bank operations and country assistance strategies;
  
• Training in the areas of disaster prevention, mitigation and response; and
  
• Identifying institutional, policy and physical interventions aimed at reducing catastrophic losses from natural disasters through structural and non-structural measures, community involvement and partnerships with the private sector.

How we Operate

We achieve our objectives through education, training, support and partnerships.

Key functions of the Hazard Risk Management team include the following:

• Technical support and guidance to member countries and to World Bank staff in operations on lending and on the preparation of Country Assistance Strategies and Economic and Sector Work to reduce risks from natural and technological disasters.
  
• Partnerships with the international and scientific communities. Partnerships are being established with other international agencies, NGOs, and scientific organizations to promote dialogue on disaster management issues, collaborate on activities, and receive input into World Bank activities. A key partnership is the ProVention Consortium, launched in February 2000 to reduce disaster risk in developing countries and make disaster prevention and mitigation an integral part of development efforts. The ProVention Consortium functions as a network to share knowledge and connect and leverage resources aimed at reducing disaster risk.
  
• Examining the World Bank's disaster assistance portfolio to extract lessons for future operations.
  
• Identification and dissemination of World Bank and other agencies' good practices in disaster management.
  
• Training in the areas of disaster prevention, mitigation and response.