TUNIS, March 2, 2026 - The World Bank and the Government of Tunisia are expanding their partnership to strengthen the country's resilience to climate and disaster risks through an additional financing for the US$ 125 million Tunisia Integrated Disaster Resilience Program (ResCat). The additional US$50 million will extend urban flood protection to three highly flood prone regions - Western Tunis, Gabès, and Djerba - building on experience from the cities of Bizerte, Monastir, and Nabeul covered under the initial Program. This scale-up comes as Tunisia continues to face significant flood risks, further exacerbated by climate change, as highlighted by the severe flooding in January 2026, which brought the heaviest rainfall in more than 70 years and widespread disruption across several regions.
By targeting densely populated corridors and key economic hubs, the scaleup is expected to benefit more than 660,000 additional people. The investments are designed to keep businesses operating, protect jobs, and create new local employment opportunities, particularly for the operation and maintenance of flood protection infrastructure. They will also help reduce service disruptions and economic losses, supporting livelihoods in some of Tunisia's most vulnerable urban areas. The additional financing will strengthen links between physical investments, modernized hydrometeorological and early warning systems, and disaster risk financing - ensuring infrastructure, data, and financial protection work together as an integrated resilience system.
"The World Bank is supporting Tunisia's continued progress toward proactive, risk-informed disaster management," said Alexandre Arrobbio, World Bank Country Manager for Tunisia. "By scaling up flood protection in highly flood prone regions and reinforcing early warning and financial protection systems, this additional financing will help protect lives and livelihoods and support a more resilient and inclusive development path."
The new financing builds on strong results achieved since the Program's launch in 2021. The parent operation, financed by the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD), has already helped protect nearly 170,000 vulnerable people from urban flooding in several Tunisian cities and supported the rollout of pilot early warning systems. It has also contributed to strengthening national institutions for disaster risk management, including ongoing work on a disaster risk financing strategy and the establishment of a permanent institutional structure to coordinate resilience efforts.
"By combining weather and flood monitoring, early warning systems, and resilient infrastructure, the scale-up expands urban flood protection to three new regions and supports a more coherent and sustainable national approach to managing flood risks," said Dina Ranarifidy, Senior Urban Specialist, and Task Team Leader at the World Bank.
