Washington, April 2, 2020 – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today a $20 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA)* to support Senegal in its response to the threat of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Senegal COVID-19 Response project will strengthen the country’s prevention, preparedness and response to the outbreak. It complements the additional support provided under the existing Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement (REDISSE) project to strengthen health systems and disease surveillance as part of the national COVID-19 response plan.
“Senegal has built its response to COVID-19 on successful experiences in containing disease outbreaks in recent years through timely identification and response. The Bank is confident that the project will be implemented efficiently and in close coordination with all relevant partners and stakeholders,” said Nathan Belete, World Bank Country Director.
The World Bank Group is rolling out a $14 billion fast-track package to strengthen the COVID-19 response in developing countries and shorten the time to recovery. The immediate response includes financing, policy advice and technical assistance to help countries cope with the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. The IFC is providing $8 billion in financing to help private companies affected by the pandemic and preserve jobs. IBRD and IDA are making an initial $6 billion available for the health-response. As countries need broader support, the World Bank Group will deploy up to $160 billion over 15 months to protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.
* The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.6 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $21 billion over the last three years, with about 61 percent going to Africa.
