Attachments
This weekly update is produced by UNDP in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Sierra Leone, liaising with the Office of National Security and development partners.
Situation overview
Following emergency response to the landslide and floods in and around Freetown on 14 August 2017, the UN system in Sierra Leone is now supporting national recovery. The UN Country Team has designated UNDP and the World Bank as co-leads of the effort.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has underscored that a national recovery strategy should address both the needs of those directly affected, and a plan to tackle the longer-term issues including environmental; climate and disaster risks; and settlement and urban development.
Recovery efforts
Damage and Loss Assessment
A World Bank team has conducted a rapid Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) covering four thematic sectors: Infrastructure (transport; electricity & telecommunications; water & sanitation; waste management & debris removal); Social (housing; public buildings; health; education; social protection);
Productive (agriculture, livestock & fisheries; industry & commence; macroeconomic impacts); and CrossCutting Issues (environment). The assessment included contributions from the UN system and other partners and results were presented to the President on 8 September.
Risk Management and Recovery Action Plan
Under the overall coordination of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, the UN system will support the development of a Risk Management and Recovery Action Plan drawing on sector-specific assessments, multi-hazards mapping and other relevant reports. Where gaps are identified, after reviewing and cross-analysing existing assessment report, the Inter-Agency exercise will undertake field assessment and validation exercises.
The plan is to be concise, evidence-based and costed, to support Government and partners in making evidence-based decisions that address immediate to long-term needs of those affected and at-risk; to provide a roadmap for settlement and national urban planning; and, ultimately, to protect lives and livelihoods from future disasters.
Settlement Planning and Sustainable Urbanization
The UNCT is supporting the assessment and development of solutions for issues around settlement planning and sustainable urbanization in Freetown. Linked to environmental assessment and hazard identification work, this includes making evidence-based recommendations on potential relocation options. To this end, a UN-HABITAT team concluded a scoping mission on 8 September.
Taking this work forward, an Urban Risk Reduction Expert will be engaged to support the formulation of policy recommendations and strategies on settlement planning and sustainable urbanization, in the context of recovery and urban risk reduction; and the formulation of UNDP programming to respond to the Government priorities.
Surge Team
UNDP has engaged a Recovery and Risk Management Advisor, to coordinate the Action Plan and oversee the formulation of the recovery programme; and a Communication Specialist to support the mobilisation of resources for these purposes.