Sudan - Health Emergency and Infrastructure Project (SHEIP) - Portfolio Restructuring Note

The proposed operation concerns the restructuring of the original three health projects in the Sudan Country Portfolio into one emergency health and infrastructure project with balances totaling UA 41,710,432 (ADF UA 30,364,623 and TSF UA 11,345,809) to assist in addressing the current health humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The prolonged de facto situation and ongoing conflict have adversely affected Sudan’s socioeconomic prospects. The conflict has also affected the Bank’s engagement with the Sudanese authorities, thereby holding back most of its operations in the country. The Bank’s health portfolio, which is constituted by three (3) projects, has consequently suffered considerable setbacks because of the conflict. The proposed restructuring, with the aim of working with a thirdparty implementing agency to implement the portfolio, presents an opportunity to sustain the Bank support to the people of Sudan under the ongoing active conflict and de-facto government. The restructured health portfolio will be implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO) working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health. WHO was chosen based on the track record the Bank and WHO already have in implementing health emergency projects over the years particularly during the Ebola epidemics and the most recent COVID-19 pandemic. Given the scope of proposed interventions and the complex context in Sudan, a reasonable timeframe for implementation will be 3 years.