This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
On July 1, 2020, the World Bank announced a $300 million budget to support Uganda in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The funds will be used to boost the government's capacity to prevent, detect, and treat the virus, protect vulnerable populations, and support economic recovery.
Uganda's efforts to contain the spread of the virus have had a devastating impact on the economy, with the country's overall economic growth projected to be just 3-4 percent in the financial year 2019/2020, down from an earlier projected 6.3 percent.
According to the World Bank, the pandemic, combined with flooding and a locust invasion, has hurt the economy, pushing an additional 3.15 million citizens into poverty, bringing the total number of people living below the poverty line to 8.7 million.
World Bank Country Manager for Uganda, Tony Thompson, said, 'The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the economy and livelihoods. This budget support operation will enable the Government to provide vital services, social safety nets, and a more robust shock-responsive system for the long term; and the economy to recover faster.'
