Multinational - Support to the Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis Response in the SADC Region

The proposed project is a grant of UA 6.5 million to Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat to finance implementation of Support to the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis Response, in six (6) ADF Beneficiary Countries in the SADC Region. The cases of COVID-19 in the beneficiary countries are mostly concentrated in large urban areas and major points of entry. The implementation of lockdowns and limited movement of people between towns and rural areas within countries has ensured limited spread of the virus to rural populations. There is already emerging evidence that the implementation of lockdowns is having a devastating impact on the livelihoods of informal sector workers and traders in urban areas with no savings and limited state social security and safety nets. Based on the current epidemiological profile of the COVID-19 outbreak and the technical knowledge base available, this ADF assistance will include the following components: (i) Strengthen SADC Beneficiary Countries capacity to respond to COVID-19 Pandemic; (ii) Reinforce Regional Coordination of SADC Member States’ mitigation measures against the regional spread of COVID-19. This is a regional project that will be implemented in the form of a Regional Public Good (RPG) over eighteen (18) months starting in June 2020 and closing in December 2021. The operation was appraised in April 2020 following a request from the SADC Secretariat on 8 April 2020 for the Fund to assist with the SADC COVID-19 pandemic crisis response. The project design followed the Bank Group's COVID-19 Pandemic Response Facility (CRF) and considered good practice principles on conditionality and the support that the Bank is already providing to Regional Member Countries (RMCs).