Niger - COVID-19 Support Programme in G5 Sahel Countries - Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad (PARC COVID-19 - G5 Sahel)

The proposed intervention concerns the Niger component of the COVID-19 Crisis Response Programme in the G5 Sahel Countries (PARC COVID-19 – G5 SAHEL). This is a loan and award a grant to the G5 Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad) of UA 118.9 million and UA 89.6 million respectively from the COVID-19 Rapid Response Facility. It will be implemented over 12 months from July 2020. The Programme was appraised in April 2020 following requests to the Bank by the countries. Niger recorded its first case of COVID-19 on 19 March 2020. As of 5 June 2020, the country had 1461 cases, the number of which has been rising steadily in the last few days. To curb the spread of the COVID19 pandemic, the country has taken several preventive and protective measures, including: (i) a nationwide ban on gatherings; (ii) the closure of all land borders, except for the transportation of goods; (iii) the suspension of public land transport; and (iv) the imposition of a curfew in Niamey. These measures have led to a drastic contraction of supply and demand, resulting in a sudden downturn in Niger’s economy. This Programme complements the other budget support operations, particularly the Multinational Coronavirus Pandemic Control Support Project for G5 member countries approved on 9 June 2020, aimed at providing the region with adequate operational capacities to combat the pandemic. More specifically, the programme will contribute to the financing of response plans through the budget support it will provide. It will also support measures aimed at improving the financial management of the response plans and mitigating the health, social and economic-related impacts.