Eastern and Southern Africa: Innovative regional multi-layered financial solutions to protect nations from disasters

This case study examines the Regional Emergency Preparedness and Access to Inclusive Recovery (REPAIR) program, a US$926 million regional platform that combines reserves, contingent financing, and parametric insurance to get funds to governments within seven days of a disaster. Supported by a US$26 million Global Shield Financing Facility (GSFF) grant, REPAIR has already delivered rapid financing after cyclones in Comoros and Mozambique and is estimated to reduce the cost of emergency response significantly.

Bringing together several instruments from WBG’s crisis response toolkit, the REPAIR facility provides a cost-effective, multi-layered approach to disaster risk financing, designed to respond proportionally to the severity and frequency of shocks. The program benefits multiple countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. Program implementation is carried out at the regional level to pool expertise and resources, and to enable the platform to attract additional partners.

Key takeaways:

1. The platform approach is essential for cost-effective
   disaster financing.
2. Financial preparedness must be matched with operational readiness.