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Posted by
Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough, 03 December 2024
They say that storms test not just resilience but readiness—and that’s exactly what we’re facing in Eastern and Southern Africa. Climate challenges like floods, droughts, and tropical storms are unrelenting, and as I work across five Indian Ocean nations, I see their impact on lives, livelihoods, and entire economies. But here’s the thing: while the challenges are immense, so are the opportunities to prepare better. This past week, I made a quick stop in the UK, and it was both eye-opening and... Keep reading
Posted by
Insurance Development Forum , 25 October 2024
Photo: Curt Carnemark / World Bank
In this interview, Dr Olivier Mahul, Global Manager for Climate Finance Mobilisation at the World Bank, and former Ex-Officio Member of IDF Steering Committee and Co-Chair of IDF Operating Committee, reflects on his tenure at the IDF. From the beginning, Olivier was instrumental in advocating for the voices of the private insurance sector to be brought further into the global conversation on disaster risk finance, adding to the dialogue with governments and development agencies. His engagement... Keep reading
Posted by
John Plevin, 23 October 2024
Image Courtesy: ZEP-RE
Droughts have a catastrophic impact on the poorest and most vulnerable. They destroy livelihoods, create acute food insecurity, restrict economic growth, and put severe pressure on government budgets. Policies and investments to mitigate and prepare for droughts are crucial, but for the risk which cannot be managed away, a growing array of Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (DRFI) programs have emerged in response to the needs of climate-vulnerable countries and their populations. These DRFI... Keep reading
Posted by
Chris Mahony, 10 October 2024
A group of young children standing in a window at a school in Uganda - Photo by Bill Wegener on Unsplash
After a successful 2021 pilot disbursement of the Displacement Crisis Response Mechanism (DCRM ) – the world’s first displacement risk financing mechanism – the Government of Uganda initiated a second disbursement in 2023. The second disbursement was executed according to an adopted DCRM handbook, informing a transparent, needs-based, and pre-agreed process for selecting public service sectors and districts that will receive funds, in line with the World Bank’s new scorecard approach to... Keep reading
Posted by
Olivier Mahul, 30 September 2024
Public-private knowledge partnership is critical to help developing countries develop climate and disaster risk finance strategies as the range of financial products offered by both development partners and the private insurance industry is increasing. The protection gap against climate shocks and disasters keeps growing in most developing countries. The increasing frequency and intensity of climate shocks such as droughts and floods pose a serious global threat, especially to vulnerable... Keep reading
Posted by
Tom Felix Joehnk , 21 June 2024
Around 20 typhoons occur near the Philippines every year and nearly half of them hit the country — killing scores and destroying schools, hospitals, and other public infrastructure. The search for the money to rebuild typically starts the day after the calamity. Some emergency funds flow; charitable donations, too. But overall, public assets lack financial protection against disasters, despite the Philippines being one of world’s most disaster-prone countries and among the champions of disaster... Keep reading
Posted by
Qhelile Ndlovu, 23 April 2024
A cityscape of Luanda, Angola
The southwestern African country of Angola is enigmatic, it boasts of a variety of diverse ecosystems, ranging from the arid Namib Desert in the south to the lush rainforests of the north. With its rich land and tropical climate in the Northern part of the country, it has massive agricultural potential for a range of crops, including high value chains like coffee, cotton and wine. Its long coastline could deliver double digit growth of the fisheries sector. However, Angola is exposed to climate... Keep reading