The World Bank has sent $150 million of the funding it had set aside for Mozambique projects in order to aid the African country’s recovery efforts after it was hit by Cyclone Freddy.
Freddy, one of the worst storms to strike the continent in the previous 20 years, brought destruction across Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar in late February before making a second pass through the Southern African countries and the island nation in March. In the region, there were reports of over 1,000 fatalities.
According to the World Bank, the funds would help the Mozambican government restore its transport network and offer services for health, education, water supply, and sanitation.
According to the multilateral lender, the funds are different from the $300 million grant it approved in July and are taken from the World Bank’s ongoing initiatives in Mozambique. It comprises of $50 million in bank credit and $100 million in grant money.
According to Xavier Chavana, the lender’s disaster risk management specialist in Mozambique, “our priority is to support the Government to respond to this emergency quickly and ensure that the people affected by yet another cyclone can recover as soon as possible.”
