At its 5th meeting in Copenhagen in November 2008, the GFDRR Consultative Group asked the Secretariat to focus on a select group of priority countries to achieve increased impact.
In GFDRR ’s Track II , Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction in Development, this lead to a prioritization of operations in 20 core countries, including Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Nepal, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Togo, Vietnam, and Republic of Yemen.
The countries were selected due to their high vulnerability to natural hazards and low economic resilience to cope with disaster impacts including anticipated climate change and variability. Two thirds of the countries are least developed countries and twelve are highly indebted poor countries. Nine are from Africa and several others are Small Island States at high risk.
These 20 core countries will receive 80 percent of available funds while 20 percent will be made available for flexible, innovative, high impact grants, such as those that catalyze increased investment programs and integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in development in any disaster prone country. GFDRR will also systemize and deepen its engagement in eleven single donor trust fund countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Lao PDR, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu, using funding made available by the concerned donors.
To develop a strategic and integrated vision, GFDRR is preparing comprehensive programs for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation for the next three to five years in each of the priority and donor earmarked countries.