Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
In April 2024, Montenegro requested support from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) to conduct an external evaluation of its zero-draft Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction with the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for the Period 2025-2030. This successor strategy builds upon Montenegro’s previous DRR framework for 2018-2023.
A drafting committee was established using a whole-of-society approach, involving governmental institutions, academic entities and civil society organizations to ensure inclusive participation. This approach significantly strengthened national disaster risk governance and resilience-building at the policy level.
UNDRR’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ROECA) coordinated the initial assessment, which involved 11 external experts from diverse technical backgrounds. Using the DRR Strategy Qualitative Assessment Tool, this peer review identified gaps and opportunities for strengthening the zero draft.
By September 2024, a second round of evaluation reflected clear improvements. The revised strategy incorporated key elements of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, including measurable targets, hazard and sector-specific risk assessments, and timelines. It demonstrated a commitment to inclusivity, integrating gender equality, the needs of at-risk groups, alongside innovative nature-based solutions (NbS) to enhance sustainability. ). It also aligned with national development priorities and global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The accompanying Action Plan translated these strategic goals into operational action-empowering municipalities and organizations to tackle localized vulnerabilities. It also linked DRR interventions to broader development objectives such as poverty reduction, climate adaptation, and ecosystem conservation, while incorporating monitoring mechanisms for accountability and continuous improvement.
Key impacts
- Elevated strategy quality and coherence: The structured peer review led by 11 external experts significantly enhanced the quality, relevance and strategic coherence of Montenegro’s 2025-2030 DRR framework.. The process grounded the strategy in national realities while ensuring global alignment.
- Improved strategic maturity: Feedback from the first review allowed Montenegro’s drafting committee to make targeted revisions. The improved draft featured clearer goals, indicators, and stronger sectoral risk analysis. It also established institutional clarity through defined governance structures and multistakeholder coordination.
- Global alignment and policy coherence: The strategy now closely mirrors the Sendai Framework, reinforcing Montenegro’s international DRR commitments and its understanding of cross-sectoral risk.
- Inclusivity and innovation: Peer contributions helped embed gender equality, support for at-risk populations, and nature-based solutions into the strategy, underscoring Montenegro’s commitment to an inclusive and sustainable DRR approach.
- Strengthened stakeholder engagement: The review process deepened national ownership by involving local authorities, academia, and civil society in shaping a DRR strategy with broad legitimacy and relevance.
- Operational clarity and monitoring: The revised Action Plan clarified roles, responsibilities, timelines and budgets, while introducing robust monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure the strategy’s accountability and long-term impact.
Lessons learned for replication and adaptation
- Structured external feedback enhances quality: A peer reviewusing tools like UNDRR’s DRR Strategy Qualitative Assessment Tool provides objective, comparative insights often overlooked in internal reviews.
- Multi-stakeholder engagement is essential: Inclusive participation from local and national institutions, civil society and academia fosters strategy ownership and enhance relevance through diverse perspectives.
- Staged reviews ensure measurable improvements: Conducting at least two rounds of review allows time for meaningful revisions and enhances strategic outcomes.
- Ensure coherence with global frameworks: Peer reviews can serve as checkpoints to align national strategies with the Sendai Framework, SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
- Promote innovation and inclusivity: Engaging external experts from varied backgrounds encourages the adoption of emerging practices tailored to national contexts.
- Link to monitoring and accountability mechanisms: Peer reviewers emphasized the need for a detailed action plan with clear timelines responsible entitiesand M&E systems.to ensure implementation is feasible and trackable.
- Neutral coordination by a trusted third party is key: UNDRR’s facilitation ensured neutrality, consistency and quality control throughout the review. Engaging an experienced third party with the right tools and expertise is essential to a credible peer review process.