VICTORIA, Seychelles — Seychelles has begun reviewing the costing of its National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategic Plan 2021-2030 to ensure effective resource mobilisation and implementation. The work, supported by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the International Institute for Environment and Development, and Genesis Analytics, is part of a broader effort to strengthen the country’s resilience to natural and climate-related hazards.
Disaster risk management officials explained that the country currently relies mainly on financing from the central government, which does not meet the demands to tackle the country’s priorities. The Disaster Risk Management Division’s annual budget stands at R11-12 million, with most of it going to salaries. As a small country, Seychelles will not have the budget required to implement all projects and will rely on international organisations such as UNDRR, UNDP, the World Bank, SADC, the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the European Union and the Singapore Cooperation Programme.
At the conclusion of the workshop, cost estimates for prioritised disaster risk reduction measures in the NDRRSP 2021-2030 will be confirmed, providing a clearer understanding of the financial needs for resilience-building initiatives. The workshop also presented the methodology for diagnostics studies, gathered input from partners, and explored opportunities for better coordination between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation efforts. The work forms part of a wider regional push to operationalise disaster-resilient infrastructure investment across small island developing states.
