Strengthening Capacities for Sub-National Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and Reconstruction

Strengthening capacities for sub-national post-disaster needs assessment and reconstruction is crucial for effective disaster recovery. This approach focuses on building local government capabilities to assess damage, losses, and needs after a disaster, ensuring that reconstruction efforts are efficient and resilient.

In Khammouane province, Lao PDR, the provincial government, with support from the World Bank and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), developed clear guidelines and procedures for estimating damage and losses during disasters.

This initiative aimed to improve communication between provincial and district levels, ensuring swift and effective responses to disasters. The guidelines take officials through the process of developing an effective plan. The steps include: 
- strategic planning for recovery; 
- identifying immediate financing resources; 
- consolidating financial requirements;
- identifying implementation structure; 
- drafting the plan; and 
- approval and dissemination of the plan.