From crisis to resilience: How disaster risk evidence protects Burundi’s EU Global Gateway investment

This case study examines how Burundi used disaster risk evidence to inform recovery planning and protect the Port of Bujumbura, a key component of the EU Global Gateway Lake Tanganyika Transport Corridor investment. Following the 2023–2024 El Niño floods, UNDP supported the Government of Burundi through an integrated approach combining a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), institutional strengthening and recovery planning. The PDNA, conducted between February and March 2025, evaluated damage and losses across social, productive and infrastructure sectors. In parallel, a detailed engineering study used drone surveys, flood modelling and scenario analysis to assess how the port would respond to rising lake levels and extreme weather under different climate futures.

The case study reports that the PDNA estimated more than USD 221 million in disaster losses and informed the development of a National Recovery and Resilience Programme. The climate-risk engineering study informed the resilient design of the €79 million EU-AfDB Global Gateway Lake Tanganyika Corridor project, integrating flood protection and drainage adaptation measures. The publication highlights the establishment of climate resilience standards for the Port of Bujumbura and the integration of climate scenario planning into infrastructure design to support long-term resilience.