Countries in the Central America and Dominican Republic region face multiple threats from disasters and climate change, how can they prepare?
Michel Kerf, World Bank country director for Central America and the Dominican Republic, explains in this interview.
Why is it important to prioritize investment in disaster management in Central American countries and the Dominican Republic?
The reason is simple: countries in the region are highly exposed to disasters. So there are two main things that countries have to do. The first is to take preventive measures, and that means measures to reduce the impact of disasters.
The second thing that is a priority for countries in the region is to mobilize financial resources that can be used immediately after a disaster.
And what tools does the World Bank offer to help countries in this Disaster Risk Financial Management?
We can support in several ways. First, with technical analysis, with analytical work that allows us, for example, to measure more precisely the exposure of countries to disasters in order to measure the risk, let's say, that countries run in the face of all kinds of disasters.
A second thing is to support these preventive investments, perhaps the most important response.
And finally, we support countries in mobilizing the financial resources they will need to react after a disaster materializes.
Why does the bank support countries in this disaster risk management?
It is because it is always the poorest in the countries that are the most impacted by disasters. That is, let's say, part of our mission, to protect the most vulnerable from the impacts of climate change. It is absolutely at the heart of our mission to eradicate extreme poverty.
Also, major disasters have such an impact, and such a cost, that it jeopardizes the whole development agenda of the country.
So, we cannot talk about shared prosperity without supporting countries to better prepare themselves to face the major disasters that, unfortunately, they are going to continue to face.
Interviewer: Álvaro G. de Pablo