Morocco is one of the countries most exposed to risks related to geological and climatic phenomena in the Middle East and North Africa, according to the latest World Bank report.
Thus, the World Bank estimates that disasters, such as floods, earthquakes and drought, cause Morocco to lose more than 575 million dollars each year. In addition, rapid urbanization and climate change herald an increase in the frequency and severity of weather events, she said.
In a report, the World Bank revealed that the “ Integrated Natural Disaster Risk Management Program has contributed to strengthening Morocco’s resilience to disasters and climate change, by strengthening efforts to prepare the national disaster risk management strategy.
This international project has also supported investment in structural measures to reduce risk for the benefit of more than 174,000 beneficiaries, insuring nearly 9 million people against bodily injury during catastrophic events and establishing a solidarity fund that benefits to about 6 million people belonging to the poorest and most needy groups in the country.
In order to meet the challenges of increasing disaster risk and climate change in Morocco, the project aims to improve the institutional framework for financing disaster risk reduction activities and to strengthen financial resilience to natural disasters for the population. target.
To achieve these goals, the World Bank relied on a combination of financing and technical assistance tools. The WB thus finances two loans for the construction of a complete program using the results-based financing instrument. And this is the first time that the World Bank has used this financing tool in disaster risk management operations.
The program aims to encourage institutional reforms and capacity building, increase investments in disaster risk reduction and support an innovative disaster risk insurance system that covers both the public and private sectors. All of these areas of work have benefited from technical assistance and capacity building programs provided by the World Bank.
In this regard, Achraf Hadin, head of the National Center for Risk Forecasting at the Ministry of Interior, said that “ the “Vigirisque” flood risk monitoring project led by the Natural Risks Management Department has received funding from the Fund for the Fight against the Effects of Natural Disasters supported by the World Bank “.
In detail, the project is implemented in four pilot provinces, with the aim of improving flood risk management in the Kingdom, in close collaboration with the General Directorate of Meteorology, the Research Directorate and Water Planning, the hydraulic basin agencies as well as the four pilot regions.
The main aim of the project is to develop an integrated risk management support system, based on the establishment of a national center and regional operational centers for monitoring flood risks, while supporting the authorities responsible for responding emergency situations by implementing preventive measures.
Through March 2022, the Fund had supported 180 disaster risk reduction projects, with a total investment of $304 million, of which $111 million was funded by the Fund. The structuring projects carried out have benefited more than 174,000 direct beneficiaries throughout the national territory.
The program will continue, until its scheduled closing date of December 31, 2023, in improving the impact of disaster risk reduction projects through the Natural Disaster Effects Fund and supporting the operation of the new Directorate of Disaster Risk Management.
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