Preparing Indonesia for future natural hazards

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a US$160 million loan for the Indonesia Disaster Resilience Initiatives Project (IDRIP) to support Indonesia’s efforts to develop a comprehensive approach to disaster resilience. The financing will be used for priority investments to increase the preparedness of central and selected local governments to manage natural hazards and strengthen the country’s geophysical early warning services.

The natural disaster events that occurred in Indonesia last year—including the series of earthquakes in West Nusa Tenggara, the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi, and the tsunami along Sunda Strait—caused the most loss of life in over a decade. They were powerful reminders of the risks that Indonesians face every day, and the importance of investing in disaster resilience to protect lives, homes, and infrastructure.

“The government intends to strengthen the country’s disaster preparedness by investing in a multi‑hazard early warning system platform and improving local-level emergency management systems. Through IDRIP, we will continue building up our national disaster risk management systems whilst empowering local governments and communities to make use of the latest innovations, to better prepare themselves for natural hazards” said Doni Monardo, Minister of the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB).

Under this financing, IDRIP will scale up disaster awareness and knowledge activities, upgrade emergency management systems, move towards “impact-based” early warning information services for better-informed decision‑making, and continue strengthening institutional capacities. The loan will also finance support to restore and upgrade early warning functions, including damaged instrumentation in disaster-affected areas.

“IDRIP will help to strengthen Indonesia’s approach for end-to-end early warning services. Investing in technological solutions for faster, more accurate, and more reliable warnings will enable better integration with decision support systems and increased public awareness of disaster risk, to better prepare communities for natural hazards,” said Dwikorita Karnawati, Head of the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG).

“Beyond their immediate impacts, natural disasters have socioeconomic consequences which can drive vulnerable and poor people further into poverty. Investments in infrastructure and social recovery will help authorities to prevent loss of life and meet the needs of those affected by disasters,” said Rolande Pryce, World Bank Acting Country Director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste. “This is a pivotal moment in Indonesia’s path towards developing a world-class comprehensive approach to disaster resilience.”

The World Bank’s support to Indonesia’s disaster risk management is a key component of the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework for Indonesia, which focuses on government priorities for transformational development impact, including disaster risk reduction. This investment complements other government priorities and investments including in disaster risk financing and insurance, resilient urban infrastructure, and post-disaster recovery.