The World Bank has increased emergency support for the three Southern African countries affected by a devastating cyclone that killed hundreds in March to Tshs.1.6 trillion ($700 million), the lender said on 3rd May, 2019.
More than 1,000 people were killed across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi after Cyclone Idai, the worst cyclone in decades, lashed the Eastern Indian Ocean coast bringing heavy winds and rains.
New World Bank President David Malpass, who is in Africa for his first foreign trip, toured the affected areas in Mozambican port city of Beira on 3rd May, 2019. The bank said it was activating the International Development Association`s (IDA) Crisis Response Window (CRW) to provide up to Tshs.1.2 trillion ($545 million) in total for the three countries.
“This is in addition to the nearly Tshs.345 billion (0 million) in resources that have recently been made available from existing projects. (https://www.sellerlabs.com/) Together, total World Bank support to the three countries` recovery reaches around Tshs.1.6 trillion ($700 million),” the bank said.
Mozambique, which was the hardest hit by the cyclone, would receive Tshs.805 billion ($350 million) in CRW financing to re-establish the water supply, rebuild damaged public infrastructure and support disease prevention, among other things, the World Bank said.
Malawi would get Tshs.276 billion ($120 million) in financing, while the lender intended to provide an exceptional allocation of up to Tshs.172.5 billion ($75 million) to select United Nations agencies to support Zimbabwe.
The bank further stated it was still assessing the impact of Cyclone Kenneth that slammed the island nation of Comoros and then Northern Mozambique last month. `The World Bank group is working closely with our partners to help the population recover from these terrible storms, build back stronger than before, and improve countries` resilience to natural disasters, Malpass said in a statement.
As part of his Africa trip, Malpass had also travelled to Ethiopia and Madagascar to visit several World Bank Group-funded projects, and held meetings with government leaders, private sector representatives.
The World Bank was created in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference with an aim of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving goal of universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases among other things. It comprises two institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and the International Development Association (IDA). The World Bank is a component of the World Bank Group.
Also read:Cyclone Kenneth: Mozambique evacuates, Malawi cautions citizens
