Risk-informed policymaking

ESCWA’s Cluster 6 held a productive workshop for civil servants at the Libyan Ministry of Planning dedicated to mainstream a risk-informed approach to programming and planning. The three-day interactive meeting took place between 4-6 July 2023 in Tunis. During the workshop, participants conducted a deep dive into the factors contributing to the country's vulnerability and resilience. They were introduced to ESCWA’s conceptual framework for assessing vulnerability and resilience, along with an examination of key risk trends spanning the past decade. Building upon the analysis, small groups were formed to address climate, conflict, and development pathways of risk. These groups dissected the root causes behind the country's vulnerabilities and proposed options to build resilience. Additionally, they devised various future scenarios aimed at enhancing prevention and mitigation efforts. A major focus of the workshop revolved around the challenges associated with effectively translating the outcome of risk assessments into public policies and programming. The workshop concluded with a consensus on the need to set up a dedicated team within the Ministry of Planning. This team would assume the responsibility of regular risk analysis and monitoring, leveraging ESCWA's quantitative Risk Monitor for Libya while also developing their own qualitative risk assessment modality. Furthermore, the team would collaborate with other ministries to form a national core group, encompassing a wide range of risk pathways. The establishment of a national risk assessment team and the practical implementation of various workshop exercises, including the production of a Libyan risk report, will serve as key factors in the next phase of ESCWA's technical assistance program on risk. The program will specifically focus on further strengthening risk-informed policy making in Libya, with ESCWA and its Libyan counterparts engaging in collaborative consultations to this end.