The World Bank Group has announced the approval of $141 million in financing for Rwanda to strengthen its capacity to adapt to natural disasters and mitigate their impacts.
In a statement, the international financial institution specified that its Board of Executive Directors had approved the Development Policy Financing for Disaster Risk Management program for Rwanda, as well as a Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat DDO) — a mechanism designed to provide immediate liquidity following a natural disaster.
This financing aims to support Rwanda’s efforts to establish more effective forecasting, preparedness, and response systems, while protecting human lives and livelihoods.
The program is structured around three main pillars: strengthening disaster risk information and institutional coordination; improving the resilience of infrastructure to climate and disaster hazards; and promoting sustainable management of natural resources.
According to the World Bank, these priorities align with Rwanda’s National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy adopted in 2023 and the country’s National Transformation Strategy.
This new support is part of the World Bank–Rwanda Partnership Framework for 2021–2026, which focuses on enhancing resilience to climate risks, particularly floods and landslides.
