The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a US$2 million additional financing to the Republic of Moldova for the Disaster and Climate Risk Management Project, which will support the State Hydrometeorological Service’s ability to forecast severe weather and improve the country’s overall capacity to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, IPN reports, quoting a press release of the World Bank. 

The new funding complements the original US$10 million project and aims to reduce Moldova’s susceptibility to natural disasters, particularly in agriculture and related sectors, and diminish the country’s economic vulnerability to droughts, floods and other natural shocks.

Over the past four years the ongoing project has supported a range of activities in hydro-meteorological services, civil protection and climate smart agriculture, including the establishment of the Emergency Command Center for disaster response, creation of a mobile weather and market information alert system, and operationalization of a Doppler radar system to forecast severe weather.

“The regular recurrence of natural hazards and their impact on Moldova’s economy and people call for continued commitment to boosting the country’s capacity to respond to disasters and climate risks”, said Alex Kremer, World Bank Country Manager for Moldova. “This imperative is further reinforced by the country’s size and population density, making disaster and climate risk management an important agenda item for the country’s sustainable development.”

Since Moldova joined the World Bank in 1992, over US$1 billion has been allocated to approximately 60 projects in the country.