Strengthening Disaster Resilience for a Safer Future

To effectively mitigate or avoid the impacts of extreme weather events, careful planning and preparation are essential. Following the 2024 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on October 13, three disaster risk management experts from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group, Theresa Abrassart, Pauline Georges and Guillaume Bouveyron underscore the need for well thought-out prevention and preparedness strategies. 

The year 2024 has already borne witness to a sequence of severe climate-related disasters, including catastrophic floods, widespread wildfires, and violent storms, reinforcing the need for strengthened disaster risk management (DRM) initiatives and funding. From January to September 2024, a staggering 241 major disaster events were recorded, impacting over 103 million people, with estimated insured global disaster losses in the first half of the year reaching US$120 billions.

Between March and May, severe floods devastated the Great Lakes region of East Africa, resulting in hundreds of deaths and impacting over 700,000 people. During the same period, southern Brazil experienced severe flooding in April and May, which claimed 173 lives, displaced more than 423,486 individuals, and incurred clean-up costs estimated at US$3.7 billion. Similarly, West and Central Africa faced overwhelming floods that led to more than 1,000 fatalities, affected 4 million people, displaced at least 500,000, and destroyed over 300,000 homes. Additionally, in January, wildfires struck central and southern Chile, claiming over 112 lives, leaving 200 people missing, and affecting more than 40,000 resident.

The impacts of these disasters disproportionately affect the poorest and most vulnerable groups-including women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, ethnic and racial minorities, and Indigenous Peoples-underscoring the urgent need for inclusive disaster risk management strategies that effectively mitigate and adapt to these risks, ensuring comprehensive community resilience.

According to the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), as global temperatures climb beyond the 1.5°C (2.7°F) threshold, the frequency and intensity of climate-related hazards are expected to increase. The report forecasts a rise in the occurrence of simultaneous extreme events such as heatwaves and droughts across all regions. As temperatures break new records worldwide, the incidence of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, droughts, and forest fires, continues to rise.

For instance, in mid-June, temperatures in parts of Saudi Arabia soared above 50°C, while New Delhi, India, recorded a high of 49.9°C in May. The summer of 2024 was noted as the Earth's warmest on record by the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) anticipates that 2024 will rank among the five warmest years since 1850, with a 60% probability of being the warmest year in recorded history. This pattern of escalating temperatures and their associated extreme weather events underscores the urgent need for robust global responses and enhanced disaster preparedness strategies.

The AFD Group, with its subsidiaries AFD and Expertise France, is at the forefront of implementing comprehensive Disaster Risk Management (DRM) strategies that are designed to be robust and inclusive. Since 2018, the AFD Group has supported more than 40 Disaster Risk Management projects, across various geographies, with a total investment of 2.5 billion euros. These initiatives are designed to strengthen DRM capacities such as governance and enhance resilience.

The following three programs highlight how the Agence Française de Développement Group is responding to these critical challenges:

Himachal Pradesh Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness Program

The Himachal Pradesh Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness Program, supported by a €81.9 million loan from AFD, seeks to strengthen disaster and climate resilience among State systems and local communities in a region prone to natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides. This comprehensive five-year program is structured around three main components: (i) Enhancing disaster risk governance, through improved institutional capacities, risk understanding and knowledge management, (ii) strengthening disaster preparedness, through effective early warning systems and better emergency response capacities, and (iii) supporting mitigation measures, including nature-based solutions.

The Program also integrates cross-cutting themes such as gender mainstreaming and institutional strengthening, ensuring a holistic approach to disaster risk management. The program's financial framework is structured around a Program Budget Support (PBS) instrument, which includes a results-based financing component that allocates funds based on the achievement of specific, predefined disbursement-linked indicators (DLIs). Additionally, the program incorporates a Contingency for Early Recovery Component (CERC) that provides up to 10% of the total expenditure for reconstruction and rehabilitation post-disaster.

This initiative aligns with regional and global DRM frameworks, such as Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Plan (revised in 2020) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and aims to fundamentally transform Himachal Pradesh's approach to disaster preparedness and resilience. In parallel to the Program, a technical assistance (TA) shall be implemented by Expertise France to strengthen Himachal Pradesh's capacity for risk prevention, preparedness, and response. This TA shall support essential activities, including forest fire prevention and management, as well as high-mountain rescue operations.

Tunisia Integrated Disaster Resilience Program-for-Results

The Tunisia Integrated Disaster Resilience Program-for-Results is a strategic effort co-financed by the AFD and the World Bank, involving a substantial €100 million commitment to enhance Tunisia's resilience to climate and disaster-related events.

The program is structured to support comprehensive disaster preparedness and climate adaptation through a multi-pillar strategy that enhances urban flood risk reduction, strengthens governmental disaster preparedness, and builds financial protection capacities. It focuses on improving flood risk management in urban areas with significant investments in infrastructure, while also supporting the Tunisian government in bolstering its overall disaster readiness and response mechanisms.

A critical component of the program involves strengthening institutional coordination and fostering a regulatory environment conducive to effective climate and disaster risk management. This integrated approach not only aims to protect vulnerable populations and key economic assets but also seeks to embed resilience into the fabric of national development planning, ensuring sustainable protection against future risks.

Jordan Civil Protection Enhancement Project

Strengthening Civil Protection and Relief Capacities Jordan's Civil Protection Enhancement project, initiated in 2019 and entering its second phase in January 2024, is directed at bolstering the capacities of the Jordanian Civil Defense to manage and respond to disasters effectively. This project, financed by AFD through a FEXTE (Fund for Technical Expertise and Experience Transfers) grant and implemented by Expertise France, aims to elevate the quality of disaster risk management and the public services provided by the Civil Defense.

The first phase of the project focused on enhancing institutional capacities, aligning operational capabilities with identified risks, and providing essential services to both the local population and refugees, primarily in the Mafraq Governorate. Building on the success of the initial phase, the ongoing second phase extends these efforts, aiming to define a more extensive strategy for disaster preparedness across Jordan.

In light of escalating disaster risks, strengthening resilience has become essential to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and economies. Recent disasters highlight the urgent need for targeted investments in disaster risk management, with a focus on prevention. The AFD Group's initiatives underscore its commitment to advancing governance, preparedness, and resilience in alignment with global frameworks like the Sendai Framework. By working closely with governments and partners, the AFD Group is embedding resilience into development planning, ensuring that communities are better equipped to manage and withstand climate-related threats.