WED, JUN 17 2020-theG&BJournal- The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) on Wednesday approved a UA3 million ($4.16 million) grant to South Sudan to support the emergency response to COVID-19 and strengthen the country’s fragile health system.
Likewise, the Bank approved a 225 million euros loan to Egypt to finance its Electricity and Green Growth Support Program (EGGSP) to bolster economic resilience and sustainability amid COVID-19.
The EGGSP reform program seeks to promote a sustainable, competitive and diversified electricity sector that ensures secure supply and supports climate change mitigation and green growth.
“Accelerated deployment of the EGGSP reform program is instrumental to meet energy needs, combat climate change and promote sustainable development in Egypt. This multi-partner program provides a model for effective coordination among development partners as we continue to collaborate with all development partners to promote for a green recovery” said Minister of International Cooperation, H.E. Dr. Rania Al Mashat.
“The EGGSP aims to improve the security of energy supply by increasing the share of renewable energy and improving the financial sustainability of the electricity sector with a view to ensuring greater participation of the private sector in injecting more investments in renewable energy,” H.E. Dr. Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, noted.
“Whilst the pandemic has put extreme pressure on the economy and the social situation, the economic reforms undertaken by the Government of Egypt and the Central Bank of Egypt over the past few years have helped create greater resilience and provide a buffer against shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Yacine Fal, the Bank’s deputy Director General for the North Africa Region.
The financing provided under the EGGSP support will buttress measures being taken by the Government of Egypt to combat the pandemic and to protect the most vulnerable during these difficult times. It will also help stimulate new private investments in the electricity sector and increase the deployment of clean energy in line with Egypt’s targets for green growth.
The Bank’s Country Manager for Egypt, Malinne Blomberg, highlighted that the newly approved program is a continuation of the Bank’s partnership with the Government of Egypt on the country’s reform agenda, now shifting the focus to meet the imminent needs in light of COVID-19 as well as the recovery phase that will follow and that depends on an efficient and sustainable energy sector. In addition to the partnership with the national authorities, the Bank is collaborating with the French Development Agency (AFD) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the Program.
Meanwhile, the grant to South Sudan, from the Transitional Support Facility of the Bank Group’s African Development Fund, will provide funding for the project to enhance the capacity of South Sudan’s health facilities and to bolster the country’s capacity to detect cases and curb the spread of the virus.
Currently, the small number of confirmed cases are being managed at the country’s sole infectious disease facility, the Dr. John Garang Infectious Diseases Unit. However, the current capacity of the facility is only 24 beds. There are limited facilities and capacities for isolation and management of COVID-19 cases at the state level as all samples from suspected COVID-19 cases have to be brought to Juba by air for testing. There are a limited number of isolation facilities outside the capital and no Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity.
South Sudan reported its first case of COVID-19 on April 5, 2020, followed by increasing numbers of cases daily. As of June 15, 2020, the country had reported 1,693 cases, 27 deaths and 49 recoveries. The country remains at high risk. With limited hospital bed capacity, gaps in health workers’ skills and competencies and a lack of functioning medical equipment, South Sudan is ill-prepared to respond to the pandemic.
The bulk of activities under the Bank-funded project will focus on improving facilities for the management of COVID-19 cases, including the procurement of oxygen cylinders and vital signs equipment and the recruitment and training of health workers. It will improve capacity for the detection of cases and the tracing of contacts.
African Development Bank Country Manager for South Sudan, Benedict Kanu noted that while too early to estimate the full economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on South Sudan’s growth performance, given the disruptions to businesses in South Sudan’s key trading partners including China, Uganda, Kenya, and Italy, a notable economic impact of COVID19 is likely to be felt in the medium to long term.
The project will be implemented by a team at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in close coordination with South Sudan’s Ministry of Health. It falls under the framework of the Bank’s COVID-19 Response Facility (CRF) of up to $10 billion, which is the institution’s main channel to provide assistance to African countries to cushion the economic and health impacts of the crisis.
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