Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 12 July 2021 – The headquarters of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group in Jeddah played host to the official launching of the first IsDB ‘MENA Reconstruction, Recovery, and Resilience Report’.

The report, launched by IsDB President, Dr. Bandar Hajjar, focuses on analyzing conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and how they necessitate the adoption of different narratives and approaches to fragility.

During his opening address, the IsDB President congratulated and acknowledged Dr. Mansur Muhtar, Vice President, Country Programs for successfully developing this important MENA Reconstruction report. He also commended the IsDB Teams from the Resilience and Social Development and the Regional Cooperation and Integration Departments for accomplishing this milestone achievement in producing this regional Report.

“As we all know, fragility and conflict are radical development challenges facing IsDB Member Countries. It is, therefore, incumbent on the development actors such as the IsDB and donors to develop a comprehensive strategy that addresses the underlying drivers of fragility, across its various social, political, economic, security and environmental dimensions, and which builds greater resilience,” Dr. Hajjar reiterated.

He then stated that the report represents an initial step towards developing that strategy and bringing new dimensions and narratives to contribute to the recovery and resilience building efforts in MENA. “This report calls upon international development partners to commit themselves to support MENA countries transition from violence and fragility to resilience,” he stated.

The IsDB President further noted how the IsDB’s 10-year strategy and the President’s 5-year Program (P5P) envisage the Bank as proactive and responsive to Member Countries challenges, including fragility and conflict. “To address fragility, IsDB has developed its first ever fragility and resilience policy to set the standards and strategic direction of IsDB to set the standards and strategic direction of IsDB to strengthen institutions, build resilience, and contribute to recovery and social inclusion as well as sustainable development in Member Countries,” he explained.

The document analyzes the challenges and opportunities related to reconstruction, recovery, and resilience in MENA, focusing on the four conflict-affected countries: Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and the two refugee-hosting countries: Jordan and Lebanon.

It also analyzes lessons learned to support reconstruction, recovery, and resilience in fragile- and conflict-affected situations while presenting chapters on investment in human and social capital, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), private-sector development (PSD) and foreign direct investment (FDI), as they play crucial roles in the reconstruction and recovery of conflict-affected nations.