This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
Published on May 18, 2020, the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) has approved a $137.5 million grant to Somalia to help the country respond to multiple crises.
With Somalia on the brink of a climate emergency due to repeated cycles of floods and drought, the grant is part of the Somalia Crisis Recovery Project aimed at boosting disaster preparedness and supporting the recovery of livelihoods.
According to World Bank Country Director for Somalia, Felipe Jaramillo, "Increasingly frequent and devastating crises are impeding Somalia's chances of breaking out of a cycle of fragility and poverty. Even as it recovers from drought, Somalia faces a triple shock of locust, flooding, and now COVID-19."
The grant will benefit up to 1.7 million people in Somalia, providing livelihood support through the cash-for-work scheme, desert locust population control, and promoting household hygiene. Additionally, the grant will fund the rehabilitation of water and sanitation systems.
Dr. Abdirahman Beileh, Somalia's Minister of Finance, stated, "The Project reinforces the leadership of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Federal Member States towards ushering in sustainable and resilient recovery from the multiple crises afflicting the country as a means of further strengthening state-citizen trust."
