By Mary Boyer, Ana Campos, Jemma Vasilyan, Sana Ikram Sharif

As Liberia’s rainy season becomes longer and more unpredictable, the stakes for vulnerable communities continue to rise. Each year, floods affect an estimated 140,000 people in greater Monrovia. With weather extremes intensifying and the timing of storms shifting, the government of Liberia is taking proactive steps to strengthen its emergency preparedness before the next storm hits. 

In February, a workshop was held in Monrovia to enhance the country’s readiness. Participants included teams from the World Bank-funded Liberia Urban Resilience Project (LURP), the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), and technical experts on emergency preparedness and response from the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). The training focused on how to effectively use the World Bank’s Contingent Emergency Response Components (CERCs).

CERCs are financing mechanisms embedded within development projects that allow countries to rapidly access funds in emergencies. But access alone is not enough. Liberia’s workshop emphasized that successful activation requires preparation, including clear roles, advanced planning, and coordination across agencies. GFDRR experts highlighted the role of CERC as a vital tool for disaster and emergency preparedness and response, particularly in terms of ensuring rapid response to disasters and emergencies by the government of Liberia.  CERC had previously financed Liberia’s purchase and distribution of health and hygiene kits to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

GFDRR experts also provided practical guidance on how Liberia can strengthen its readiness to carry out rapid needs assessments to activate CERCs and inform response activities, as well as the country’s advance planning for how to effectively use resources from this financing instrument to support recovery and response. For example, the experts highlighted the importance of having emergency action plans for various hazards developed in advance which can be updated in the event of an actual emergency.  Participants also discussed financing flexibility, stakeholder engagement, and the need to balance speed with sustainability and fit for local contexts.

Key Ingredients for Readiness

The workshop drew on findings from a newly published report titled "Crisis Preparedness and Response: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) Activations and Implementation" which delves into the CERCs activated and implemented from fiscal years 2012 to 2023 and distills best practices from prior country experiences in accessing and using resources from CERC. 

As highlighted in the report, for CERCs to be activated efficiently, both the Bank and the government must have their respective teams fully prepared and equipped to manage the emergency response.  When CERCs are ready, countries respond faster, coordinate better, and recover more effectively. It also identifies common pitfalls, such as delayed planning or unclear institutional roles, that can slow down deployment when time matters most. Among other recommendations, the report emphasized the need for strategic and efficient planning. For instance, the government must establish practical thresholds for activating the CERC and agree on ineligible activities in advance within the CERC manual. 

The report also emphasized the need for monitoring, evaluation, and accountability. For example, the government must align CERC activities with relevant indicators and establish adequate monitoring mechanisms with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.  The workshop implements another of the report’s recommendations, namely for both the Bank and governments to work together to build capacity and institutional readiness for countries to access CERC and use its resources effectively.

GFDRR has been a key partner in scaling CERC capacity globally. Since 2012, it has supported 69 grants related to CERCs across more than a dozen countries, totaling approximately $39.7 million. About 78% of grants supported CERC implementation in countries like Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Myanmar. Another 13% went toward design and preparedness planning, such as drafting a CERC Operations Manual in Togo, and 9% funded knowledge initiatives, promoting global learning on CERCs. 

With the enhanced World Bank’s Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit, GFDRR continues to offer support for preparedness activities, ensuring that responses to emergencies are robust, adaptable, and tailored to the specific needs of each situation. The CERC model offers a flexible and practical solution for countries to act fast and protect their people. But it only works when the systems, plans and people behind it are ready. By fostering a culture of preparedness and collaboration, countries can better manage crises, protect development gains, and ensure a more resilient future.