New US$400 Million Grant for Yemen to Address Food Security and Sustain Health, Water and sanitation
New US$400 Million Grant for Yemen to Address Food Security and Sustain Health, Water and sanitation
Source : World Bank
14-май-2019
WASHINGTON, The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved US$400 million in grants for Yemen to address rising rates of
malnutrition and to contribute towards maintaining basic health, water and
sanitation services for the Yemeni population. Along with the new funding, the
Board of Directors also discussed the World Bank Group’s new engagement
strategy for Yemen which will remain focused on preserving basic services and
the institutions that deliver them, while also supporting livelihoods and
economic recovery in preparation for an eventual peace.
The 2020-2021 Yemen Country Engagement Note sets out the
strategy for the next two years for how the World Bank Group will deliver
effective support to Yemen in the midst of ongoing conflict. Priorities will be
preserving institutional capacity, improving service delivery resilience, and
providing support to conflict-affected poor and vulnerable Yemenis. The new
strategy will also focus on encouraging immediate economic growth by creating
temporary jobs and supporting the private sector.
“The World Bank has focused on preserving Yemen’s
development gains along with the critical service delivery institutions that
Yemenis depend on. This has involved vaccinating 6 million children to ensure
that polio which was eradicated does not reappear, and channeling cash
transfers though community networks to provide hope and services to millions of
Yemenis,” said Marina Wes, World Bank Country Director for Egypt, Yemen and
Djibouti. “Working in active conflict poses many risks but the risks associated
with inaction are far greater. We will not turn our back on our development
mission now when it is most needed, and we will continue working with our
partners to preserve the human capital and the critical Yemeni institutions
that help people now and will be vital for future recovery”
The new funding announced today includes two new grants
provided by the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank
Group’s fund for poorest countries:
• A $200 million grant will support the ongoing Yemen
Emergency Crisis Response Project, to strengthen the enabling environment for
medium-term economic opportunities in Yemen and to address the potential risk
of famine and increasing rates of malnutrition; the project operates through
supporting well-established national programs. The grant includes $100 million
to maintain the delivery of emergency cash transfers to the most vulnerable
Yemeni households. Under the program, cash transfers have so far been provided
to people across Yemen’s 333 districts, reaching, on average, 1.45 million poor
households (about 9 million people).
• A $200 million grant will support the ongoing Yemen
Emergency Health and Nutrition Project to help scale up activities to respond
to short term health needs, prevention of chronic malnutrition and disease,
including cholera and preserve local health systems and staff capacities.
With the newly approved funds, the International Development
Association (IDA), the World Bank Group’s fund for the poorest countries, has
provided a total of US$1.7 billion in grants to Yemen since 2016. The IDA
grants have been able to save lives, in part through the Emergency Health and
Nutrition Project, which has reached more than 14.6 million people in all
districts of all Yemen’s governorates, and through the Emergency Cash Transfer
Program, which aims to ensure vulnerable Yemenis have money to buy food and
basic necessities. Under the latter Program, cash transfers have so far been
provided to people across Yemen’s 333 districts, reaching, on average, 1.45
million poor households (about 9 million people).
The Bank has built successful
partnerships with the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations
Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Office
for Project Services relying on their extensive field presence in Yemen for the
management of the projects. The Bank’s technical experts have worked with these
organizations—and with local institutions—to design these projects. The Bank
will continue to provide technical expertise to guide the implementation of the
projects and ensure they remain responsive to evolving challenges.