Goal of preparing the Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (4RF) is to ensure that transformational measures are put into place to ensure resilient recovery, and to reduce the impact on developmental gains, so as not to hinder the progress of future generations. It also provides a foundation on which the country will build and strengthen long-term resilience to climate-induced disasters.

The 4RF document provides programmatic priorities, policy framework, institutional arrangements, financing strategy, and implementation arrangements for resilient recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction in the aftermath of the 2022 floods. From a humanitarian perspective, housing, agriculture, and livelihoods are identified as priority needs and urgent actions have been proposed to meet these needs. Needs are based on the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment already completed. Interventions worth USD 16.26 billion have been proposed and prioritized over short (1-year, medium (2-3 years) and long-term (4-7 years) horizons covering sectoral policy and operational reforms, investments/programs for recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, and institutional effectiveness.  Recovery interventions will be integrated and multi-sectoral.

In the current macroeconomic context, Government of Pakistan will need to reallocate budget for FY23 to meet relief and recovery needs. Revenue generation and expenditure management measures have been suggested to increase fiscal space for the government.

The 4RF policy framework aims to address Pakistan’s most urgent and immediate post-disaster needs, while setting the direction for building long term resilience. Key policy imperatives include community-driven and ‘people-centered’ approach, promotion of equality and opportunities for the poorest households, women, and other vulnerable and marginalized groups disproportionately impacted by the floods, employment of rapid and efficient recovery mechanisms, incorporation of green and resilient principles through a ‘build back better’ approach, and risk-informed resilience, etc.

The 4RF document suggests effective coordination and participation arrangements among federal and provincial governments, development partners, donors, international and national NGOs, academia, private sector, and communities. A recovery and reconstruction unit will be housed in the Ministry of Planning and Development to provide overall coordination at the national level. Special units in provincial Planning and Development departments will lead implementation in collaboration with local government.

Objective of the 4RF financing strategy is to guide the identification, channeling and management of recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction finances. Primary focus of the financing strategy is on mobilizing and reallocating available government resources, coupled with measures to improve the efficient use of public resources and policy measures to increase fiscal space, ad mobilization of private sector financing and improvement of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework will be critical. International financing will be sought to address gaps in areas where there is a clear advantage for international support, with emphasis on concessional and grant financing and on-budget channels. Financial management will promote transparency and accountability.

Results will be monitored through a robust results framework and monitoring and evaluation arrangements. Quality will be assured through development of codes and standards and compliance with them. Transparency will be ensured through internal controls, and global third-party independent audit. Accountability will be promoted through community participation, visibility of work, communication of results, and grievance redress mechanisms. The UN System will provide advice on monitoring and support for implementation where appropriate, and work to integrate the recovery M&E Framework with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Detailed provincial plans and granular details of the arrangements will be added in the Detailed 4RF document, which is likely to be ready by the end of January 2023. The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives led the preparation of the 4RF. The Asian Development Bank, the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, and the World Bank Group contributed to its development.