ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — October 29, 2025.
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a US$6 million grant to bolster disaster preparedness and risk financing across Africa through the African Risk Capacity (ARC), a specialized agency of the African Union (AU).
Approved under the Bank’s African Disaster Risk Financing Initiative (ADRiFi) (AfDB ADRiFi link), the funding will support the ARC’s operations for the 2025–2026 period, helping member countries transition from reactive disaster response to proactive preparedness and resilience-building.
The grant will enhance the technical capacity of national institutions in risk assessment, early warning systems, and disaster contingency planning, while strengthening coordination among governments and humanitarian agencies.
“This funding will enable African countries to better anticipate, plan for, and mitigate natural disasters through stronger risk management systems and rapid response mechanisms,” said a statement from the Bank’s Communications and External Relations Department.
Key activities under the project include:
High-level advocacy for the ratification of the ARC Treaty by remaining AU member states. Finalisation of national work programmes with participating countries. Facilitation of insurance premium support to make climate risk coverage more accessible.
The initiative will cover all ARC member states, prioritizing regions most exposed to droughts, floods, cyclones, and epidemics. Beneficiaries include policymakers, technical experts, and civil servants who will receive targeted support in disaster risk quantification, financing strategies, contingency planning, and women’s inclusion in disaster management.
Since its establishment in 2012, the African Risk Capacity has supported 39 AU member states, disbursing more than US$230 million to 14 countries and protecting millions of vulnerable people through timely disaster response funding.
The African Development Bank Group (www.afdb.org) continues to serve as Africa’s leading development finance institution, with investments in resilience, climate action, and sustainable development across 54 regional member states.
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