New US$400 million grant for Yemen to address food security and sustain health, water and sanitation services

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 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.

The new funding announced 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.
• 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.

Original source: World Bank
Published on 14 May 2019