Summary of publication
The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), established in 2006, is a global partnership that helps developing countries and communities better understand, manage and reduce vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change, and assist in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. The multi-donor trust fund for the partnership is administered by the World Bank, through the Urban, Disaster Risk, Resilience, and Land Global Practice.
Australia’s $6 million (2021-2028) contribution to GFDRR has primarily focused on the Pacific to strengthen national disaster and climate policies, legislation and risk tools; and enable disaster risk financing (DRF) in the region.
This mid-term evaluation and management response, reports on the work undertaken in the first half of the implementation period of GFDRR’s Strategy 2021–2025 – and assesses progress to identify potential adjustments needed for the second half of the strategy period. The report presents findings, conclusions, and recommendations around its key objectives to (1) assess GFDRR’s progress in implementing its Strategy; (2) assess the extent to which GFDRR has contributed or is likely to contribute to client countries’ alignment with the Sendai Framework Principles and disaster risk management results; and (3) provide practical recommendations to strengthen the program and its operations. The evaluation’s scope focused on active GFDRR programs and grants during financial years 2021–23.
The Evaluation found GFDRR’s objectives and design remain highly relevant to countries’ needs and priorities in their efforts to understand, manage and reduce vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change and support Sendai Framework outcomes.
In assessing GFDRR coherence, the evaluation found GFDRR provided increasingly complementary and operationally relevant support to World Bank client countries, while its global institutional presence has eroded. Under effectiveness, it found assessing GFDRR’s progress in achieving its strategic objectives was hampered by GFDRR’s evolving Monitoring and Reporting (M&R) system, with results targets not initially aligned to the Strategy cycle. However, there were positive indications of results against all four strategic objectives. In efficiency, the evaluation found that GFDRR governance and management functions were efficient and effective. It noted significant improvements had been made to GFDRR’s M&R system [in 2023], but additional improvements are still needed. GFDRR contributions shows positive indications of the drivers of sustainability: motivation, capacity, linkages, and resources. However, there was only indirect evidence found to demonstrate sustainability of benefits for final beneficiaries of World Bank development finance operations.