Analysis of vulnerabilities

The Foundation advocates the development of a multidimensional and universal vulnerability indicator (MVI) that distinguishes structural and exogenous sources of vulnerability from those arising from governments’ current policy choices.

↪ Deepen understanding of the different forms of vulnerability and the ways in which they interact.

↪ Develop indicators to measure countries’ and territories’ exposure to shocks and their capacity for resilience.

↪ Distinguish structural and exogenous vulnerabilities from those that may result from national policies.

↪ Design monitoring tools that can be used by governments, regional organisations and international institutions.

↪ Promote the use of vulnerability indicators in the design, targeting and evaluation of development policies.

FERDI draws on its research findings to help shape the criteria used by international organisations, multilateral development banks and bilateral donors.

It advocates giving greater consideration to structural vulnerabilities, beyond income levels alone, in the allocation of concessional finance. The aim is to direct available resources more effectively towards countries that are most exposed to shocks and have the most limited capacity to respond.

In 2025 and 2026, FERDI promoted these proposals:

• at the fourth United Nations LDC Future Forum;
• at a round-table discussion held in Washington, DC, on the margins of the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings;
• at the Finance in Common Summit, through the presentation of its research and the organisation of an event on the allocation rules applied by multilateral development banks;
• at the LDC Future Forum in Lusaka, which focused on the resilience of least developed countries and the monitoring of the Doha Programme of Action;
• through discussions with the United Nations, the OECD, development banks and national administrations.

FERDI also develops indicators and monitoring frameworks that can be used directly by public institutions.

The Inter-American Development Bank has commissioned FERDI to develop a dynamic vulnerability index for its borrowing member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For the WAEMU Commission, FERDI developed a framework for monitoring vulnerability and resilience across the Union’s eight member countries. The report published in 2025 highlights the role of economic diversification, climate risks, social fragilities and institutional quality, and makes recommendations on social protection, governance and productive transformation.

Lastly, FERDI contributes to strengthening the analytical capacity of public administrations, notably through a training course held in Tunis on public policies to reduce vulnerability.