The World Bank has immediately made available $1.3 million grant to the government for rescue, relief and recovery operations through the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) to strengthen disaster management, conduct a post-disaster DNA and support long-term disaster reduction.
According to the status of the bank's response to Pakistan Floods-2010 available on the WB website here on Thursday, the World Bank is working closely with the government of Pakistan and other development partners to respond to the flooding. At the request of the Government of Pakistan the World Bank and Asian Development Bank are preparing to undertake Damage and Need Assessment (DNA). The Bank's support is focused on medium- to long-term reconstruction, but it is working closely with those providing humanitarian relief.
The DNA validates the data provided by the government regarding the impact of the disaster from a broad range of sectors and perspectives. It is therefore not a reconstruction plan although it will help inform and provide the basis for such a plan.
In addition, on August 5, the Bank announced the launch of a multi-donor trust fund to support critical reconstruction and peace-building initiatives in crisis-affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Balochistan. The Fund was created at the request of the Pakistani government and will be administered by the World Bank.
Until the DNA has been conducted, the Bank cannot estimate the extent of the flood damage and its impact on the Pakistani economy, WB added. A Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) was launched by the WB to support critical reconstruction and peace-building initiatives in crisis affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Balochistan. The Fund has been created at the request of the Government of Pakistan and will be administered by the World Bank. Nine donors have so far expressed interest in pooling their resources into this Fund.
The projects funded from the MDTF will be informed by the Damage and Needs Assessment (DNA), the development plans of the federal and provincial governments, and the soon to be completed Post Crisis Needs Assessment (PCNA). They will be aimed at promoting enhanced and sustainable delivery of basic services (in terms of better access to education, improved health care delivery, access to energy, adequate road network and better availability of clean drinking water and sanitation); supporting livelihoods through productive activities, employment creation, especially for youth and vulnerable groups, skills development and microfinance and enhancing responsiveness and effectiveness of the state to restore citizens' trust and foster reconciliation.