World Bank Votes $27m For Disaster Mgt In W/Africa

http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/1242/2011/06/24/world_bank_votes_27m_disaster_mgt_wafrica.html

ALU KINGSLEY Business

In order to help improve disaster management and also assist countries that are already reeling under the impact of climate changes in the West Africa sub-region, the World Bank through a global facility on disaster reduction and recovery has set aside the sum of $27 million.

Africa Disaster Risk Management Team Leader at the World Bank, Mr. Paolo Caputo, disclosed this at the on-going 14th Regional Climate Outlook Forum for West Africa, Cameroon and Chad in Abuja yesterday.

He listed the priority countries for the global facility to include; Burkina Faso,Ghana,Mali,Togo and Senegal.

Caputo said some of the main criteria were vulnerability to floods and at the same time, the track records of the various governments in terms of disaster management and their commitment to the global framework for action and also the possibility of integrating actions of disaster management with the existing World Bank portfolio.

The World Bank helmsman emphasised that the five countries were on the most vulnerable list and were chosen by a large constituency of donors which support the global facility for disaster reduction and recovery, adding that the list could be expanded depending on the needs and the requests from the various governments in West Africa.

He also hinted that the World Bank was supporting the simulation exercise on floods at the event in view of the fact that improved dialogue and cooperation between disaster management specialists could help to improve the effectiveness of early warning system for floods, reducing the loss of lives and property in West Africa.