Sovereign disaster risk finance in middle-income countries: annual report 2017-2018

This document shares experiences and lessons learned from efforts to support middle-income countries (MICs) in building their financial resilience against natural disasters by Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the World Bank’s Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program. This document provides case studies and information on recent developments in Colombia, Peru, Indonesia, Morocco, Serbia and Vietnam. 

During a first phase (2012–2016), the Sovereign Disaster Risk Finance in Middle-Income Countries Program (the Program) provided tailored advisory services and institutional capacity building for public financial management of natural disasters, with promising outcomes. In just four years, the Program helped participating countries better understand the financial impact of disasters, often leading to institutional changes and reforms in support of financial planning for disasters. For instance, guidelines developed under the Program played a key role in improving the quality and coverage of insurance of public assets in Colombia and Peru, and of private assets in Morocco.