Regional : Strengthening the Enabling Environment for Disaster Risk Financing (Phase 1)

Finance / Insurance and contractual savings

Tools to assess and strengthen the enabling environment for DRF developed

DRF capacity of DMC stakeholders strengthened

Output 1: The diagnostic assessment work took place in Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 2016 and 2017, and in Fiji from late 2017 to early 2018. Diagnostic assessment work in Nepal started in the first quarter of 2018, with a second mission in October following a delay due to the busy schedule of government counterpart agencies. The final country assessment reports have been completed for Pakistan, Fiji and Sri Lanka and are published. The report for Nepal has been completed and is being processed for publication. A draft how-to guide has been prepared and will be finalized following completion of all four of the country assessment reports.

The Government of Nepal has indicated interest in continuing support from ADB to enhance its DRF arrangements, in line with its National Strategic Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction: 2017 2030. The TA will support scoping work specifically to determine options for strengthening the disaster resilience of municipal governments under the country's new federal system of government, in line with a recommendation from the draft Nepal country diagnostic assessment already prepared under the TA.

Output 2: Two national workshops were held in each of Fiji, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in 2017 and early 2018. National workshops were held in Nepal in March and October 2018. The first workshop in each country focused on an introduction to DRF concepts, principles, and instruments and the presentation of preliminary observations on the current state of the enabling environment for DRF in each country by the team of consultants. The second workshop focused on the presentation and discussion of preliminary findings and recommendations of the country diagnostics assessments. Around 30 40 participants were present at each national workshop. An additional workshop was held in Pakistan in April 2018 to discuss government and development partner DRF initiatives in the country and to maximize synergies and complementarities. ADB hosted a regional DRF forum in Manila in September 2018 to share the findings and recommendation of the country diagnostics with a wider audience, facilitating cross-country learning and dialogue and providing an enhanced understanding of opportunities to strengthen the financial management of disaster risk in a larger group of countries. Eighty-seven participants comprising representatives from 13 disaster-prone DMCs, development partners, industry representatives, and ADB staff attended the forum. A session was also organized at the _Understanding Risk Finance Pacific Forum_ in Vanuatu in October 2018 to present and discuss the findings and recommendations of the TA.

The results of the municipal government DRF scoping work in Nepal will be disseminated during country workshops in 2019.

Consultation missions were undertaken to PAK, SRI and FIJ in 2017-2018, in coordination with ADB resident missions, to meet government agencies, the private sector and other stakeholders and seek their views and perspectives. Nepal consultation missions were fielded in March, and August and final consultation was held on 1-4 October with 1 day workshop.

Consultation mission to Nepal was undertaken on 29-31 January 2019 for the scoping work to determine options for strengthening the disaster resilience of municipal governments.