Scaling and Aligning Disaster Risk Finance with Shock-Responsive Social Protection in Laos

August 12, 2025
2 MINS READ

SEADRIF’s Executive Director Benedikt Signer and Program and Development Specialist Shannen Nicole Chua attended the Workshop on Disaster Risk Financing and its Linkages to Shock-Responsive Social Protection, held in Vientiane, Lao PDR on 12–13 August 2025. The two-day session for government officials was facilitated by the World Food Programme (WFP) with support from The World Bank, and brought together senior representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Bank of Lao PDR, and partners across the development and humanitarian community.

Participants discussed key approaches and instruments for disaster risk financing and the current landscape in Lao PDR. Benedikt Signer led a session that provided a deep dive into SEADRIF’s mandates and its role in regional disaster risk financing.

The workshop also explored how linking disaster risk financing with social protection systems can improve preparedness and enable quicker, more predictable responses when disasters strike. This dialogue underscored the growing importance of integrating financial resilience with social protection and people-centred approaches. SEADRIF is committed to working with governments and partners to scale innovative disaster risk financing solutions that safeguard vulnerable communities and strengthen climate resilience in the region.