As COVID-19 takes jobs overnight, African Development Bank partners with ECOWAS Commission to share employment plan

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

15-May-2020

The African Development Bank, in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), held a virtual stakeholder forum to outline the regional bloc’s human capital strategy.

The forum, which rallied more than 100 stakeholders from across Africa on 30 April, has become imperative because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Millions of jobs have been threatened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with some job functions now extinct – almost overnight,” said Martha Phiri, Director of the Bank’s Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department, in opening remarks at the forum.

She said one of the Bank’s High Five strategic priorities – Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa – recognizes the need to train Africa’s youth for the jobs of today and the future.

Other speakers made presentations on the strategy and invited feedback on its goals and action plan from the participants, who included representatives of government ministries, departments and agencies from the 15 ECOWAS countries, development partners, civil society organizations, academia and the private sector.

According to a recent African Development Bank report on the fourth industrial revolution in Africa, automation will replace about 47% of current jobs by the year 2030. Disruption, digitalization and globalization are causing rapid changes to the education, skills and labour landscape. These changes highlight the growing gap between the current skill level of prospective workers in the region, and employer demand for relevant skills.

“In order to anticipate and prepare the resilience of our states to cope with all situations, it has proven important to take stock of the situation on human capital, define a strategy and an action plan for the region,” Finda Koroma, ECOWAS Commission Vice President, told attendees.

The ECOWAS strategy, being developed with support from consulting firm Ernst & Young Nigeria, focuses on education, skills development, and labour challenges and opportunities in the subregion. Feedback will be incorporated into the final report, which will present strategies and solutions for investing in human capital to accelerate development and economic prosperity.

Also at the forum were: ECOWAS Commissioner for Education, Science and Culture Professor Leopoldo Amado, ECOWAS Director for Education, Science and Culture Professor Abdoulaye Maga and Dr. Sintiki Ugbe, ECOWAS Director, Humanitarian and Social Affairs.  

The African Development Bank and the Government of Japan co-funded the ECOWAS Human Capital Strategy. The final version is expected to be published in June 2020.

Zimbabwe: African Development Bank approves $13.7 million to strengthen health system, boost anti-COVID-19 efforts

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

15-May-2020

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a $13.7 million grant to finance the COVID-19 response in Zimbabwe. The funds will provide an immediate lifeline for targeted frontline responders and health personnel and boost the country’s Global Health Security Index in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Approval for the grant was made on May 13, after a request from the Zimbabwe Government. The funds, from the African Development Fund (ADF) 14 Transition Support Facility, will go to Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 Response Project (CRP), which aims to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a country which is facing many economic and social challenges.

The CRP will focus on 15 high-density urban suburbs in Harare the capital, satellite townships and targeted health facilities in other areas of the country.

Activities under the project include boosting capacity in COVID-19 prevention and management protocols for healthcare personnel and populations in targeted regions, and increasing access to COVID-19 hand washing facilities in Harare, satellite townships and other affected regions.

The project will also supply COVID-19 medical equipment and laboratory test kits, personal protective equipment (PPEs); set up handwashing facilities through rehabilitation/construction of boreholes; and training of healthcare personnel and laboratory technicians at community level on COVID-19 prevention and case management protocols.

The project  which will be implemented by the World Health Organization, with the country’s Ministry of Health and Child Care acting as executing agency, is expected to directly benefit over 680,000 people. It will leverage on planned activities to contribute to strengthening the resilience of the health system, while protecting the livelihoods of the vulnerable population in Zimbabwe beyond the end of the pandemic.

Zimbabwe is currently facing additional vulnerability challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The nation like many other across the globe, has responded with a raft of measures aimed at containing the spread of the virus, including restricting movement of people and ordering social distancing in public places like shopping malls and public transport. The country’s current national lockdown includes school closures, restricted movement of people, restricted business operating times and the closure of pubs, restaurants and churches. Public gatherings have been limited to 50 people.

African Development Bank joins Sanitation and Water for All’s global call to action for safe and accessible water amid COVID-19 pandemic

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

40% of the global population doesn’t have basic handwashing facilities with soap and water available at home.

14-May-2020

Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) -  a global partnership of governments, donors, civil society organizations and other development partners today launched an international campaign to expand access to water, sanitation and hygiene – a key part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The platform urged governments and global development partners to incorporate a more robust focus on water, sanitation and hygiene in the fight against the pandemic, a call to action that more than 50 Heads of State, leaders of United Nations agencies, International Financial Institutions, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions have endorsed. 

The Hon. Kevin Rudd, SWA’s High-level Chair, said in a press statement, “Access to clean water and sanitation is absolutely crucial to slow the spread of COVID-19. This is particularly important in countries with fragile healthcare systems or where social distancing is harder. The support from world leaders for this Call to Action is a strong demonstration of their support for the work of the United Nations’ partnership Sanitation and Water for All.” Rudd added, “Now we need to make sure this political message turns into additional practical action on the ground, especially as the risk of a third wave of this virus across a number of developing countries increases.”

The SWA statement(link is external) invited global leaders and communities to join in making water, sanitation and hygiene available to everyone, eliminating inequalities and leaving no one behind. The statement also calls for all stakeholders to work in a coordinated and collaborative manner; ensure that water and sanitation systems are resilient and sustainable; prioritize the mobilization of finance to support countries in their response to this crisis; and deliver accurate information in a transparent manner.

In response, a number of global leaders including African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina endorsed(link is external) the pledge.

According to the statement, “water, sanitation and hand hygiene, together with physical distancing, are central to preventing the spread of COVID-19, and a first line of defense against this serious threat to lives and health systems. Handwashing with water and soap kills the virus but requires access to running water in sufficient quantities.”

“400 million Africans lack access to safe water and nearly 800 million do not have access to basic handwashing facilities – a massive challenge in the face of COVID-19.” said Dr. Jennifer Blanke, Bank Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development. “The African Development Bank is leading the fight in support of African nations to mobilize resources and support from partner organizations as well as the private sector to reduce the water and sanitation access gap.”

The African Development Bank has taken a lead role in African responses to the crisis and its effects. The Bank last month rolled out its COVID-19 Response Facility, which will serve as its primary channel for efforts to address the crisis by providing up to $10 billion to governments and the private sector.

The Bank has over the last decade invested an estimated $6.2 billion in water supply and sanitation services, and mobilized an estimated $150 million in climate finance from the Global Environmental Facility and the Green Climate Fund to co-finance water sector projects. As a result, roughly 52 million Africans have gained access to improved water supply and sanitation services.

One such project, the Integrated Urban Water and Sanitation Project for Mzimba Town in Malawi, co-financed by the African Development Bank and the OPEC Fund, received in April the prestigious Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development. “The recognition is timely given that the project is rapidly expanding access to water supply and sanitation to communities, while promoting good hygiene practices such as hand washing with soap,” said Adesina. 

The SWA statement emphasizes that “COVID-19 is not the first and will not be the last epidemic that countries will face. Resilience to future crises depends on actions taken now, as well as on policies, institutions and capacity put in place during normal times. Let us ensure this threat is not a missed opportunity to achieve our vision of universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene.”

Zimbabwe: Chitungwiza residents look forward to healthier lives as $1 million ZimFund project tackles sewage woes

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

13-May-2020

For Lovelin Chapfika, the excitement of purchasing a house in a residential area outside the Zimbabwean capital quickly turned to disappointment when she discovered her new neighbourhood experienced frequent sewage blockages and overflows.

Living in Chitungwiza Unit C extension, about 25 km south of Harare, has not been easy for the mother of three and her family since they arrived in 2013. The lowest point was when they contracted typhoid due to sewage contamination and were admitted to hospital.

“The situation is terrible, more so, during the rainy season as sewage floods the house. I found out that this problem has existed way before we bought the house. I suspect this is why the owner sold it,” Chapfika said.

In order to strengthen sanitation services in Chitungwiza to prevent recurrence of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid, the African Development Bank’s ZimFund has allocated $1.087 million towards addressing these sewage problems.

Chitungwiza’s water and sewerage infrastructure was constructed over 50 years ago and was designed to cater for only about a third of its current 500,000 population. The system, thus is overwhelmed, resulting in overspills of effluent.

Exposure to waterborne diseases not only poses a threat to the local residents, but to those in Harare. An estimated 150,000 Chitungwiza residents commute to Harare daily – perfect carriers for the disease in and out of the capital city. And given that the Manyame River passes through Chitungwiza before emptying into Lake Chivero, Harare’s primary water source, any pollution entering the river system from Chitungwiza ultimately affects the water quality downstream.

The ZimFund support aims to address the municipality’s perennial overspill at several trunk sewer hotspots. The intervention will concentrate on the  upgrading and rerouting of the outfall sewer to run along the new Chitungwiza highway, and diverting and upgrading trunk sewers within the Seke areas of Luciano and Gomba.

The funds will also be used to reconnect the collector to the outflow sewers to prevent the  frequent spillages caused by some houses being constructed on top of trunk and small sewers. It will also provide utility vehicles in each of the three districts -- Seke, Zengeza and St. Mary’s -- to deal with blockages in a timely manner.

It will also provide technical assistance, including the inspection technology; operation and maintenance tools; the construction of manholes; and sanitation and hygiene education through the Chitungwiza Health Department.

The project is expected to start in July 2020 with a completion target of December 2020, provided that the COVID-19 pandemic does not derail its implementation. It’s hoped the intervention will help residents like Lovelin Chapfika lead safer, healthier lives.

“This is the best news I have heard during this COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to living in a habitable environment with a functional sewerage system. Thanks to ZimFund for supporting us,” she said.

Chitungwiza Municipality is already a beneficiary of ZimFund’s Urgent Water Supply and Sanitation Rehabilitation project (UWSSRP) Phase I and Phase II. The first phase included the rehabilitation of Zengeza’s Conventional Sewage Treatment Works with a capacity of 35 million litres a day. Four sets of sewage treatment ponds and five trickling filters were installed.

In 2010, the Bank, through the African Water Facility grant, supported the rehabilitation of water distribution and sewage systems in Chitungwiza by rehabilitating three sewage pumps. Apart from water and sanitation, the Bank also supports other sectors such as agriculture, transport, social welfare, private enterprise, and the financial and energy sectors in Zimbabwe.

African Development Bank Donates Nearly $ 7 Million to Implement the Single Market for African Air Transport

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

12-May-2020

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank approved, last February 4 in Abidjan, a donation of nearly 7 million US dollars to the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) for the implementation of the Market unique of African air transport (MUTAA).

With this support of 6.85 million US dollars (5 million Units of Account, UA), the African Development Fund, concessional loan window of the African Development Bank Group bears 89.5% of the cost overall of the project, estimated at 7.65 million US dollars (UA 5.58 million), the rest (10.4%) being co-financed by AFCAC.

AFCAC will thus be able to set up the appropriate institutional and regulatory framework and raise awareness of the successful implementation of MUTAA.

The 36-month project includes three components: institutional strengthening of AFCAC to provide the implementing agency and other stakeholder institutions (regional economic communities, states and airlines) with the knowledge and the skills necessary to establish MUTAA on a lasting basis; support for the sustainable development of air transport in Africa by strengthening safety, security and environmental protection; project management, monitoring and evaluation.

The MUTAA should improve the access of Africans (more than 1.2 billion people) to air transport, thus promoting regional integration and stimulating trade and tourism between the countries of the continent.

The African Development Bank has considerable experience in the air transport sector, acquired from projects carried out in various regional member countries as well as with regional economic communities and international aviation stakeholders, including the Organization of international civil aviation, with which it financed the improvement of the political and regulatory frameworks of civil aviation.

The high-level meetings of the African Union Commission and the champion head of state of MUTAA, the President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé, have constantly called on the Bank and other development partners to provide support to AFCAC to successful implementation of MUTAA. The Bank is a party to the MUTAA Priority Action Plan. This institutional support project will position the Bank so that it can leverage the proven benefits of knowledge brokering, catalytic financing, policy advocacy and sound project management to advance implementation MUTAA.

This project is the first multilateral support granted to AFCAC.

MUTAA is considered a crucial logistical infrastructure and a facilitator for the proper functioning of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECA), supplemented by the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons and Goods and the African Passport. The AU Vision 2063 sets the ambitious goal of bringing growth in intra-African trade from 10% in 2012 to around 50% by 2045, through further integration. MUTAA was created in January 2018 as the first flagship project of the AU Agenda 2063.

The project is in line with the main objectives of the Bank's Ten-Year Strategy (2013-2022) and responds to two of the Bank's five strategic priorities, the “High 5”: “Integrating Africa” and “Improving the quality of life African populations ”.

Djibouti: African Development Bank contributes nearly $ 25 million to geothermal project

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

11-May-2020

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank approved, on January 15, additional funding of 3.22 million US dollars for the geothermal exploitation project in the Lake Assal region of Djibouti.

This financing is in addition to the earlier US $ 6.83 million and previous US $ 14.68 million approved by the Bank's Board of Directors in June 2013 and May 2018 respectively, bringing its total contribution to $ 24.73 million. U.S. dollars.

The project for which this additional funding is intended aims to improve the quality of life of the Djiboutian population through the increase of green energy production capacity, the reduction of oil imports, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. tight.

Its objective is to explore the geothermal steam field of Lake Assal, located in the center of the country, and to confirm the characteristics of the geothermal resource. In a three-phase program, exploration of the field in question will first be carried out to confirm the characteristics of the geothermal resource; next will be the development of the geothermal field and the construction of a power plant with a capacity of 20 megawatts (MW); and finally the extension of the capacity of this plant to 50 MW.  

This project is also part of a geothermal energy development program and will help build the first such plant in Djibouti. It will ultimately increase the green energy production capacity of this country in the Horn of Africa, increase access to electricity, thanks to a more reliable and more efficient source of energy. affordable. It will also reduce Djibouti's oil imports and greenhouse gas emissions. By improving its access to electrical energy, it will contribute to improving the quality of life of the Djiboutian population.

This additional financing from the Bank will allow the cleaning of well number 2 and make more tests for all the wells in order to collect reliable data, intended for a feasibility study, with an acceptable risk profile for commercial exploitation. .

Bank support is aligned with the current Djibouti Country Strategy Document (CSP) and the Djibouti Vision 2035. It is also in line with the New Pact for Energy in Africa, and responds to the strategic priorities of the Bank, the “High 5”, in particular “Enlighten Africa and supply it with energy. "

Somalia’s internal revenue mobilization galvanised by UA 5.5 million grant from African Development Bank

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

A

Rebuild of the Tax Training Institute building, Mogadishu, Somalia

The Federal Republic of Somalia (FGS) revenue mobilization strategy received a boost with a UA 5.5 million grant from the African Development Bank. The strategy aims to ramp up revenue collection through enhanced tax revenue and a more efficient collection system. 

The grant, through the Bank’s Economic and Financial Governance Institutional Support Project (EFGISP) phase 2, offers support for Somalia’s state-building efforts. 

Somalia’s suite of implementing policies and reforms to underpin the next generation of public financial management, include the National Development Plan (2017-2019), the New Partnership for Somalia (NPS) of 2017 and measures to address public financial management and the public procurement.

These planned reforms will enable the country to finance an increased share of its budget and expand the delivery of social services. Somalia is also now focused on increasing revenue collection levels from the current 1.9 % of GDP, to 2.5%. In addition, training in debt management, budget preparation, and financial governance will be conducted as part of ongoing efforts to enable Somalia’s re-engagement with the international community.

The project has already led to the refurbishment of dilapidated buildings in seven locations.  These include five revenue collection centers in the districts of Hoddan, Howlwadag, Wadajir, Yaqshid, and Hamar Weyne, a taxation-training institute, and a fiscal police station.

 “The Bank’s contribution to strengthening our revenue mobilization and institution building is evident through these investments, which will enhance our capacity to collect domestic revenue,” Minister of Finance Abdirahman Dualeh Beileh said.

EFGISP Phase 2 aims to build on previous Bank supported financial governance reform interventions in Somalia and complement the interventions of other development partners in the sector. Under the previous phase, the Bank supported implementation of two projects targeted at enhancing fiscal policy and ensuring public financial management become transparent and more effective.

The EFGISP phase 2 aligns with the Somali government’s efforts to build effective and efficient institutions, will cover support for reforms in public financial management, and strengthen policy planning and implementation capacities.  Implementation and rollout of these new policies and laws will require significant technical and financial assistance to strengthen institutional capacity at the level of the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries.

Somalia has had a turbulent past characterized by unrest, insecurity and famine. Since the 2016 elections, Somalia has strived to fulfil core state functions, including management of the economy and delivery of public services.

Nnenna Nwabufo, Ag. Director-General of the African Development Bank Regional Office for Eastern Africa said the new intervention would lead to more fiscal space to finance public service provisions.

“Enhanced debt management will accelerate the country’s re-engagement with international creditors; strengthened public financial management will ensure those funds are spent efficiently and effectively,” she said. “The ultimate result is increased resources available to finance the provision of public goods and services, investments in development programs, enabling recovery and reducing poverty.”

Making Finance Work for Africa hosts webinar series on impact of COVID-19 crisis on African economies and the financial sector

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

09-May-2020

The Making Finance Work for Africa (MFW4A) partnership, a unique platform for African financial sector development research, advocacy, knowledge management and networking, has launched a special webinar series on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on African economies and the financial sector.

The series offers a platform to discuss concerted actions to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on African economies and the financial sector.

The first webinar, held on 14 April, had policymakers and CEOs of financial institutions and other stakeholders, discuss the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the African financial sector. The 90-minute session focused on major issues affecting financial institutions, such as lack of credit, rising non-performing loans, deteriorating service quality, and worsening business conditions.

Representatives from Cofina Group, UBA and Standard Bank, amongst others, warned that current regulatory responses only addressed immediate needs. They advocated for long-term solutions to scale up domestic capital markets and accelerate the digital transformation of African financial services. The panelists also offered immediate additional policy responses to strengthen the resilience of African financial systems.

During the 28 April session, development finance institutions discussed their programmes to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the African financial sector. These included mechanisms and facilities to help commercial banks and other financial institutions manage the adverse effects of the crisis. The panelists included representatives from the African Development Bank, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Agence française de développement (AFD), Proparco, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the West African Development Bank (BOAD).

Stefan Nalletamby, Director, Financial Sector Development at the African Development Bank, said the Bank stood ready to support African countries and specifically the financial sector during this critical time.

“The African Development Bank is committed to supporting its financial sector clients to ride out this crisis. Our response is designed to be flexible and respond to our clients’ needs, with a streamlined approval process to ensure that we can disburse quickly.” The Bank has committed up to $10 billion through a COVID-19 Crisis Response Facility to help African countries and businesses address the pandemic, of which $1.35 billion is earmarked for the private sector.

All panelists agreed that they shared “a development responsibility” amongst all DFI partners, as discussions anchored on the importance of global solidarity in combatting this “human” crisis. Future editions of the webinar will cover a broad range of topics, exploring financial options available to help cushion countries in the wake of the crisis.

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For more details on the webinar series and to listen to recordings click: https://www.mfw4a.org/news-events(link is external). The next session, scheduled for May 19, will explore the impact of COVID on African capital markets, as well as the role of capital markets in the recovery post-crisis.

On UN Global Compact Forum, panelists urge robust multi-stakeholder response to the coronavirus pandemic

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

08-May-2020

The African Development Bank is ready to be a partner in coordinated international responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and can offer expertise on the ground in Africa, an emerging and critical battleground in defeating the worldwide crisis. This was the top line message Acting Senior Vice President Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala delivered during a United Nations Global Compact virtual panel titled Global Cooperation for Crisis Response to discuss strategies and recommendations for mounting a global response.

In her opening statement, the acting SVP drove home the imperative for close cooperation at every level. “No country is exempt or immune from the health and economic consequences which are unraveling. COVID-19 affects us all whether we are in a developed or developing countries,” she said

Tshabalala was joined on the panel by Dr. David Nabarro, Special Envoy on COVID-19 for the Director-General of the World Health Organization; Ellen Dorsey, Executive Director of Wallace Global Fund, a philanthropic organization; and Paul Polman, Co-Founder & Chair of IMAGINE Foundation, which advocates for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Dan Thomas, Communications Chief at UN Global Compact moderated. The virtual panel event was held on Tuesday 5 May.

Panelists stressed that humanity will need to accommodate itself to a new normal in which “the virus is here to stay and what all of us are going to have to do is live with the virus as an ever-present threat in our lives and in our communities,” as Envoy Nabarro stated. Polman advised the audience to take the dual approach of being “physically distanced but also socially more connected” going forward.

One theme that surfaced during the panel, as well as in the recent African Development Institute’s virtual forum, is the extent to which the pandemic has exposed high levels of inequality across and within the world’s countries. Evidence for this came from the observation that industrialized countries have spent $10 trillion in economic stimulus while many developing economies cannot mount such a response. Polman urged, let us “start to think about not restarting the global economy but redesigning the global economy.”    

Dorsey pointed out that while the pandemic represents a crisis of unprecedented scale, other challenges must continue to be faced. It also provides an opportunity to reset. “Intersecting crises require systemic not merely palliative responses. If ever there was a moment in which we are shaken out of our complacency and called to act with audacious intent and collaboration, its now.”  Addressing the issues of resilience, Polman pointed out that societies built on a multi-stakeholder models tend to do better in these sorts of crises. “

Members of the panel observed that Africa seemed less hard hit than other regions by the health impacts of the pandemic, to which SVP Tshabalala responded, “from an economic point of view, we may be worst affected economically.”  She went on to point to estimates that Africa will require $110-$150 billion in stimulus to provide social and economic relief to its economies in the wake of the pandemic.

The Bank has been in the forefront of helping Africa, which is scrambling to protect its economies, health systems and livelihoods of its people. The primary channel for the Bank’s intervention is its Covid-19 Response Facility, a $10 billion  facility that will “provide cost-effective and targeted emergency budget support through a fast-tracked approval process to provide immediate relief to countries to address the crisis, additional resources for public health interventions, social protection programmes and to protect their economies at a time of global volatility and uncertainty.”

The UN Global Compact is a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles and to take steps to support UN goals. The UN Global Compact in March issued an appeal(link is external) for all companies to take collective action to stem the outbreak through implementing ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. Businesses are also being called upon to stand together to facilitate business continuity for a fast recovery.  The panel was one its Special Academy series. 

Malawi: African Development Bank-managed water and sanitation project helping to curb COVID-19 wins Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

06-May-2020

Légende : Les membres du comité du prix international Prince Talal pour le développement humain faisant l’annonce des lauréats lors d’une cérémonie virtuelle.

An African Development Bank-financed and supervised water and sanitation project, now helping to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Malawi, has won the prestigious Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development.

The Integrated Urban Water and Sanitation Project for Mzimba Town project, co-financed by the OPEC Fund for International Development and the Malawian Government, won the award in the ‘governments and social foundations’ category.

“This prestigious award is especially relevant to current global efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need for enhanced hygiene practices,” said Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group.

“I applaud the recognition of this project by the Prize Committee of the Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development. The recognition is timely given that the project is rapidly expanding access to water supply and sanitation to communities, while promoting good hygiene practices such as hand washing with soap. Hand washing is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. Adesina said.

The Arab Gulf Program for Development’s Prize Committee announced the winners in the water and sanitation services category for 2019 at a virtual meeting last week.

The prize money of $200,000 will go to a project implemented by government agencies, public institutions or social businesses approved by the Mzimba Town scheme.

The African Development Bank co-financed and supervised the Mzimba Town project, with significant funding from the OPEC Fund. Malawi’s Northern Region Water Board implemented the project.

The major works were completed 12 months ahead of the December 2020 completion date. It has increased the community’s access to potable water from 65% to 95%, raised access to improved sanitation from 45% to 97% and created around 1,000 jobs. 

Components of the project, including a community-led ‘Total Sanitation’ initiative, have helped to reduce diarrheal cases from 35% to 3%. Some 10 potable water kiosks were established in nearby rural villages, helping to curb attacks on women trekking for water, often at night. 

“We used to collect drinking water from streams that were a two-hour walk away. It was unsafe and contributed to waterborne diseases,” said Maggie Hunga, Vice Chairperson of the Hunga Communal Water Point. 

It has also safeguarded the education and security of young girls who no longer need to fetch water before school, she added.

The construction of primary school sanitation facilities, including secured toilets as part of the project, has provided privacy and comfort to the pupils, especially girls. At Mzimba Prison, authorities have reported a reduction in skin diseases due to potable water supply and improved hygiene practices. 

“We had a system that was on its knees…now we provide access to potable water to 95% of our customers, 22 hours a day,” said Engineer Tutus Mtegha, CEO of the Northern Region Water Board.

Republic of Ireland becomes African Development Bank Group 81st shareholder

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

05-May-2020

The Republic of Ireland has become the African Development Bank Group’s 81st shareholder, following a declaration issued by the institution’s President, Akinwumi Adesina, on 24 April 2020. 

Ireland’s application to join the African Development Bank Group was approved during the Annual meetings of the Board of Governors of the Bank Group held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in June 2019.

In February 2020, the nation deposited the Instrument of Ratification of the Agreement Establishing the African Development Fund with the Secretary-General of the Bank Group during a delegation visit to the Bank’s headquarters, moving one step closer to concluding the membership process. 

“Ireland’s joining the African Development Bank is a mark of great confidence in the Bank. I am delighted to welcome Ireland as the 81st member of the African Development Bank. Ireland’s membership and shareholder support will further boost the African Development Bank’s mission to accelerate Africa’s economic development,” African Development Bank’s President Akinwumi Adesina declared.

Commenting on the membership, Irish Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe stated: “The African Development Bank and its sister the African Development Fund play an important role in fostering sustainable and inclusive social and economic growth and prosperity, helping the African continent to realize its potential to be the continent of promise and opportunity. I see our membership of the Bank and Fund as an investment in this potential. Ireland’s partnership with these important regional multilateral institutions will both advance our shared development priorities and will open future opportunities for Irish businesses in the region.”

Ireland’s Strategy for Africa 2025 includes a commitment to collaborate with the critical financial institution on the continent, as well as to explore new partnerships to support policy development and program implementation; and deepen engagement in blended finance mechanisms for job creation.

Simon Coveney, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, said there was strong alignment between the priorities of Ireland’s international development policy, A Better World, and the African Development Bank’s overarching High 5s strategy. “This marks an important deepening of Ireland’s long standing partnership with Africa. I know that membership of the Bank will further strengthen the role Ireland plays in sustainable and inclusive development on the continent. Ireland’s membership also comes as the African Development Bank provides crucial support to countries’ COVID-19 response,” he said.

“Ireland’s African Development Bank membership is also an important expression of our commitment to, and investment in, the multilateral system and of our contribution to peace, security and sustainable development in Africa.  This partnership will help us reach the furthest behind first,” Coveney added.

Membership of the Bank Group is subject to the signing of the Agreements establishing the Fund and Bank, deposit of the instruments of acceptance/approval of the Fund and the Bank Agreements, and the payment of the initial subscriptions to the Fund and capital stock of the Bank.

Ireland fulfilled those requirements, having made payments for its initial subscriptions and also depositing its instrument of ratification of the Bank Agreement with the United Nations, the statutorily appointed depositary and its initial deposit of the instrument of acceptance of the Fund Agreement with the Secretary-General of the Bank Group.   

Established in 1964, the African Development Bank Group authorized capital is subscribed by 81 member countries, made up of 54 African countries (regional members) and 27 non-African countries (non-regional members). 

COVID-19 crisis provides impetus to accelerate African regional integration – panellists, ADI webinar

AfDB NEWS & EVENTS

30-Apr-2020

The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic must be coordinated and targeted at livelihoods to prevent an upsurge in inequality, delegates at an African Development Institute (ADI) webinar urged on Wednesday.

“This is an opportunity to re-think macro-economic policy in Africa. We should not go back to our old ways. The sense of urgency that is coming from the crisis must translate into accelerated action on things that will make our continent less dependent on others in times like this. We should aim not only to build back the economy, but to build back better,” the speakers recommended.

The delegates called on African leaders to use the urgency created by the pandemic to accelerate investments in implementing the African Development Bank Group’s Hi 5s, accelerate regional integration and deepen local financial markets to withstand future shocks as envisaged under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.

COVID-19 is spreading quickly in Africa and is already straining the continent’s fragile health systems, economies, trade, cultures, societies and livelihoods. Africa’s public and private sectors, individuals and communities are struggling to respond to the pandemic amid commercial lockdowns and disruption of income sources.

It is estimated that Africa will require stimulus worth $110-$150 billion to provide social and economic relief to its economies in the wake of the pandemic.

The webinar, titled Enhancing Resilience in African Economies: Macro-Economic Policy Responses to COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa, sought to address the implications for African economies as many nations scrambled together fiscal stimulus packages to avoid total economic collapse.

The panellists, comprising global leaders, researchers, academics, former finance ministers and central bank governors, explored potential fiscal, monetary and governance reforms that would bolster resilience of African economies.

Key recommendations that emerged include the need for innovative fiscal, monetary and exchange rate policies that focus on  saving the livelihoods of citizens, rescuing thriving private investments, including small businesses, to protect jobs, and strengthening regional and national institutions to make them more independent, resilient and effective.

Another key recommendation is the need to strengthen health infrastructure across African countries, invest in STEM to equip countries for the digital economy and to build capacity of member countries to implement existing policies and continental declarations already acceded to by them.

The seminar highlighted the fact that Africa’s youthful population is a big plus for Africa’s ability to withstand the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus is known to have more effects on the aged (over 60 years) and people with underlying health conditions. The delegates called on leaders to consider lock-down policies based on science and evidence relevant to the realities of each country. There is no magic bullet that fits every country’s conditions. 

Noting that COVID-19 is a pandemic within many other endemic diseases and external shocks such as malaria, tuberculosis and climate change, the experts recommended the creation of an Africa Group of 30, comprised of finance ministers and Central Bank governors to champion best-case macro-economic policy responses to these persistent problems.

Government and business leaders must improve transparency and accountability to attract more investment inflows and donor assistance for inclusive development, the panellists agreed.

More than 350 participants tuned into the seminar, the first in a series held by the ADI as part of its Global Community of Practice (G-CoP) to facilitate knowledge and policy dialogue to help African countries respond better to the pandemic.  

In closing, ADI announced that it is already developing a Public Service Delivery Index (PSDI) to help improve transparency and accountability in public service delivery in Africa, and will soon launch an African Public Finance Management Academy (PFMA) to help countries with prudential public finance management.

The ADI and the lead experts in the African Development Bank Group and globally, will synthesize the recommendations emerging from the seminar in a policy brief to help African countries and other stakeholders respond effectively to COVID-19 going forward, as well as to future crises.

The African Development Institute (ADI) is the African Development Bank’s focal point for Capacity Development. Its goal is to lead efforts at building sustainable capacity for development effectiveness in the Bank’s regional member countries.

2020 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Postponed

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29-Apr-2020

In the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19 and the resulting global disruption, the 2020 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank and the African Development Fund will now hold from 25-27 August 2020 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

The meetings were originally scheduled for May 25-29.

Please visit www.afdb.org for updates on the 2020 Annual Meetings.