Tunisia COVID-19 Social Protection Emergency Response Support Project

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The Project Development Objective of the Tunisia Covid-19 Social Protection Emergency Response Project is to provide cash support to poor and vulnerable households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and contribute to strengthening the social protection system in Tunisia. The project will support: (i) the GOT’s measures to mitigate the COVID-19 impact on poor and low-income households as well as (ii) the AMEN Social program. It was prepared with a view to leverage different sources of funding that are uniquely suited to address specific challenges and support social protection programs. As a result, the proposed activities will be supported by a US$300 million IBRD loan and a US$18 million equivalent grant from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF)22. The proposed project includes four components. The first component supports the government’s response to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and will include financing, in part retroactively, of the AMEN Social PCT and its targeted expansion to support poor households enrolled in the program, and the financing of TCT to support poor and vulnerable households. The second component will support the Family Allowance component of the AMEN Social program with a focus on mitigating the impact of the pandemic on families with children, while protecting their human capital. The third component will support the strengthening of the social protection system to deliver efficient and inclusive programs. The project also includes a Response Component (CERC) with zero funds allocated for the time being, which would allow the government to request a rapid reallocation of project funds to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible emergency or crisis.