The World Bank on Friday announced that it has mobilized $700 million in new resources to help people in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe affected by the impact of Cyclone Idai.
World Bank Group President David Malpass confirmed the news after touring the affected areas in the Mozambican port city of Beira.
“The World Bank Group is working closely with our partners to help the population recover from these terrible storms, build back stronger than before, and improve countries’ resilience to natural disasters,” he said.
In a press statement, World Bank said it was activating the International Development Association’s (IDA) Crisis Response Window (CRW) to provide up to $545 million in total for the three countries, in addition to nearly $150 million in resources that were recently made available from existing projects.
The IDA is the bank’s fund for the poorest countries.
Mozambique, the country hardest hit by the cyclone, will receive $350 million in CRW financing to re-establish the water supply, rebuild damaged public infrastructure and crops, and support disease prevention, food security, social protection, and early warning systems in the impacted communities, the World Bank said.
The World Bank further stated that the CRW would provide $120 million to Malawi to restore agricultural livelihoods, reconstruct priority infrastructure, and support disease surveillance.
In addition, the World Bank intends to provide an exceptional allocation of up to $75 million to select UN agencies to support the people of Zimbabwe also affected by Cyclone Idai.
More than 1,000 people were killed across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi after Cyclone Idai, the worst cyclone in decades, lashed the eastern Indian Ocean coast bringing heavy winds and rains.
