Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), Bilal Anwar on Thursday said the Fund have launched its first Business Policy 2024 that helped in repurposing and redefining it over a course of 18-month to change the donors’ mindset for well-informed disaster resilience interventions.
The document is a 10-year long-term policy intervention being implemented after extensive consultations with all stakeholders, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NDRMF, Bilal Anwar said in an exclusive interview with APP while showcasing the efforts and accomplishments of the Fund.
“Resilience building is a long-term process and its challenging amid growing climate catastrophes as every intervention has its impacts but a long-term strategy is necessary and the NDRMF Business Policy is addressing it.
There have been repeated discussions with relevant bodies, provinces, fund implementing partners (FIPs), researchers, pratitioners and experts related to the subject which resulted into culmination of our efforts in the form of the strategy,” Bilal Anwar said.
The Business Policy, he said has bagged huge acclaim from the donors who have demanded a framework under the Policy to continue their operations in line with the national document.
The Policy has been aligned with the National Climate Change Policy, National Adaptation Plan, National Disaster Management Plan, National Flood Protection Plan IV, Disaster Risk Financing Strategy and National Climate Finance strategy which is in the offing, he added.
“Previously, the disaster  risk management has been a supply-driven realm curated by the donor agencies whereas the NDRMF approach at present is demand driven that has been worked out after extreme strides in the field and keeping in view our extensive knowledge of national challenges and needs or priorities of the community,” he said.
Bilal Anwar pointed out that the Fund was educating the donors fraternity to look countries from their communities’ lens based on their indigenous priorities to align their fundings accordingly.
He added that there was a huge knowledge gap across the country as the funding in disaster risk management was implemented without risk financing.
“The National Catastrophe model (NATCAT) Data Center has been established with the support of the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) whereas a special application to be built on its data is underway,” he said.
“The NATCAT unlike the conventional databases is a progressive tech-based solution using most-modern approach and solutions,” he said, adding that it could help drawing risk profiling of intended regions and use that risk modelling to assess future disaster before time.”
The NDRMF CEO underlined that there have been nine perils identified by this system and it could undertake 400 years modelling in case of flood and gauge its impacts. The NATCAT covered the entire country whereas it has the capability to provide limited and selected area projections as well, he said.
He informed that the Disaster Risk Financing (DRF) Strategy has been recently approved by the government which was enacted in the aftermath of devastating 2022 floods’ impacts and losses borne by the government.
The government, he said used to divert the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) fundings which was not sustainable. The DRF Strategy would assist in creation of alternative fundings like the insurance sector, he said, adding, “The National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) and NDRMF are devising an insurance product for all government schools across the provinces to help provide funding to rebuild schools after any disaster.”
The NDRMF in a major stride, he said is engaging the private sector recognizing the significant potential in tapping into Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. Though they do contribute in climate resilience there remains a strong need to further enhance collaboration and investment in climate resilience projects to maximize impact.
“The NDRMF is taking all its products and initiatives to the donors and partner organisations to guide further on working out innovative finance solutions. The fund will pitch these ideas to the private sector that will provide them a source of polling funding to spend in high impact areas,” Dr Bilal Anwar said.
The Fund has further accredited entities to its existing number of FIPs and has expanded its accreditation system that received some 46 fresh applications and 39 out of these have been fully accredited, he added.
A dedicated capacity building programme has been developed for the remaining seven entities, he said.
Bilal informed that in Balochistan the Fund has focused on small entities and some 36-38 entities have been accredited whereas a special award ceremony would be held in that regard.
“The NDRMF is making efforts to get its accreditation recognition from the World Bank, European Union and other global development entities,” he added.
Commenting on the COP29 preparations by the country, he said the NDRMF is supporting the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination by extending financial and technical assistance in establishing the COP pavilion, pre-COP events and writing position papers on different agenda items like Article 13, Article 6 and others under the Paris Accord.
The Fund is also assisting in formulation of the National Climate Finance Strategy that would be launched at the COP29, he said.
Denouncing the criticism on COP Pavilions, Dr Bilal Anwar said the criticism on the COP pavilions established by the country at previous conferences was unfair.
“Pakistan’s pavilion has enhanced its utility in the previous two to three COPs as during the COP27 due to 2022 floods it has garnered much attention whereas during the COP28, some 29 events were organised throughout the moot at the pavilion. Pakistan this time has a wonderful story to tell at COP29,” Dr Bilal said.
