Disaster Risk Management

Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund

The Disaster and Emergency Assistance Policy of the Asian Development Bank, approved on 1 June 2004, recognized the importance of addressing disaster and emergency assistance in an integrated fashion, financing not only long-term disaster reconstruction programs but also disaster risk management and disaster risk reduction activities.

The Action Plan for this Policy, approved by ADB's Management in April 2008, includes a recommendation to explore the provision of a quick-disbursing fund for developing member countries (DMCs) impacted by a major natural disaster.

ADB's Board of Directors approved on 1 April 2009 the establishment of the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund [ PDF ] (APDRF) as a special fund to provide incremental grant resources to DMCs affected by natural disasters.

The APDRF will help bridge the gap between existing ADB arrangements that assist DMCs reduce disaster risk through hazard mitigation loans and grants, and longer-term post-disaster reconstruction lending.

The APDRF will provide quick disbursing grants, amounting up to US$3 million for each distinct declaration of a state of national disaster, to assist DMCs in meeting immediate expenditures for the restoration of life-preserving services to communities affected by natural disasters and in augmenting aid provided by other donors.

Grants will be provided in accordance with implementation guidelines [ PDF ] formulated to govern the provision of assistance from APDRF resources.