Establishment of the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund

The Disaster and Emergency Assistance Policy of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), approved on 1 June 2004, recognizes 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 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. This paper proposes the establishment of the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) as a special fund to provide such immediate assistance.