Sudan - COVID-19 Emergency Response Support Program (ERSP)

The proposed operation is an ADF-15 grant of UA 18.75 million and TSF Pillar I grant of UA 1.25 million to the Republic of Sudan to finance operations of the Federal Ministry of Health of Sudan in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID- 19) pandemic across the country. The operation is aligned with Government of Sudan development objectives and COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan. It was appraised in June 2020 following a request from the Government of Sudan dated May 08, 2020. Indeed, Sudan experienced late transmission of COVID-19 and reported its first case on March 14, 2020. The numbers increased to 13,555 cases (6,759 recovered) and 836 deaths as at September 21, 2020. The project complements other COVID-19 response support that the Bank is providing to the East African Community (EAC), the InterGovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) under the auspices of the African Union (AU). The Sudan COVID-19 CRF will cover four components implemented at national and local levels. Its expected outcomes are enhanced capacity for treatment and care of COVID-19 patients; enhanced (national) capacity for testing, and surveillance for COVID-19; and heightened community awareness. The project will be implemented over one and half years (2020/2022) and its expected outcomes are enhanced capacity to contain COVID-19 and respond to future pandemics.