Funded by the World Bank and lasting one year (May 2019-July 2020), Enhancing Belarus’ Post-Disaster Damage and Loss Assessment System was a project dedicated to improving the methodology for damage data assessment in the Republic of Belarus.

The project aimed to develop a unified methodology for damage risk assessment in the country, in order to allow for better management after disasters such as floods, heavy winds and rains, and forest fires. Three sectors were identified as priorities for intervention: agriculture, forestry, and housing and communal services.

More specifically, the project focused on three components. The first was the review and analysis of the Ministry of Emergency Situations’ methodology, previously developed by the Belarusian University of Civil Protection, in collaboration with the State Economic University. The second was the test of implementations and methodologies, carried out on a thorough and realistic case study. Finally, the third was the design of an IT system for the acquisition and management of damage data. The project led to the definition of a road map for the actions to be taken to make the methodology operational; recommendations were also made for expanding MoES to other economic and disaster risk management sectors.

Within the project, CIMA Research Foundation worked on the revision of the current status of the disaster loss data accounting system and development of recommendations, the practical testing of the methodology in three priority sectors, supporting the expansion of damage indicators and calculation methods, and contributing in development of the Road map and formulation of next steps in implementing the methodology.