Resilience Evidence Forum 2023 Synthesis Report

In June 2023, the Global Resilience Partnership and USAID joined forces to co-host the Resilience Evidence Forum (REF). This dynamic three-day event brought together a diverse array of participants both online and in-person in Cape Town, South Africa. The forum served as a crucial platform for collectively taking stock of the latest resilience evidence available.

REF welcomed over 200 physical attendees and over 1000 virtual participants, including representatives from USAID headquarters and field offices, implementing partners, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), United Nations and international organisations, donors, government officials from Global South nations, universities, private sector entities, community-based organisations, and research institutions.

Building on the success of REF, we’ve crafted a comprehensive report to encapsulate the key discussions and takeaways. The report underscores the pressing need to build upon our progress, recognise the various forms of evidence—be it scientific, local knowledge, indigenous knowledge, or conveyed through storytelling—and elevate resilience as a collective, paramount objective. It highlights the importance of scaling evidence-based solutions and identifies the vital role various stakeholders play in realising this objective. Furthermore, the report presents success stories and delves into the principles and priorities for enhancing resilience.