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INTRODUCTION TO CASE STUDIES SERIES

The World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the European Union (EU) are collaborating on a guide for Disaster Recovery Framework (DRF). This guide aims to help governments and partners plan for resilient post disaster recovery while contributing to longer-term sustainable development. It is based on practices gleaned from country experiences in disaster recovery around the world. Hence, the development of the DRF Guide entailed the development of country-level case studies as well as thematic case studies on disaster recovery.

These case studies have been designed to collect and analyze information on: i) disaster recovery standards and principles adapted by countries for specific disasters; ii) planning efforts for making such recovery efficient, equitable, and resilient; iii) policies, institutions and capacities to implement and monitor disaster recovery; and iv) ways and means for translating the gains of resilient recovery into longer-term risk reduction and resilient development.

The methodology for developing the case studies consist of five steps:

1. Desk review of available documentation and literature regarding the specific disaster and recovery;

2. Field visit to complete and validate findings from the first step, including a workshop with government officials and other partners who have been involved in the disaster recovery process; and in-depth interviews with key partners in central and local government, international organizations and civil society;

3. Preparation of the document to be part of the GFDRR country case study series;

4. Review of document by GFDRR, World Bank country office, peers and partner agencies;

5. Validation of final case study document through in-country workshop.

Importantly, these case studies aim to learn from, and not evaluate, country reconstruction initiatives. Practices learned from each country’s experience will inform the contents of the guide for developing a DRF. Additionally, the case studies examine the planning processes and not the implementation details of recovery experiences. As such, they do not seek to offer a comprehensive account of the post-disaster recovery program, but instead provide details and insight into the decision-making processes for reconstruction policies and programs.

Following the 2009 floods, the Government of Senegal elaborated its first recovery plan after a post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) was conducted with the support of the international community. This case study thus uses the 2009 exercise as the point of departure for examining Senegal’s policies for recovery and prevention of urban floods.