Partners avail US$127m for Idai Prof Ncube

Blessings Chidakwa Herald Correspondent
Government in partnership with the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) yesterday availed US$126,5 million for the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery and Idai Emergency Recovery and Resilience projects to assist over 270 000 people in Cyclone Idai-hit areas.

Government availed $352,5 million (approximately US$30 million) from the intermediated money transfer tax; two percent tax), with the World Bank and AfDB availing US$72 million and US$24,5 million, respectively.

An estimated $1,1 billion is needed to support the recovery of damaged infrastructure and livelihoods after Cyclone Idai destroyed about 50 000 homes, displaced over 60 000 people and damaged property worth US$622 million.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube yesterday said Government applauded the hard work in saving cyclone-hit communities.

“To date, the Government has already spent $61,8 million on mitigation measures towards addressing emergency activities under the sectors of health, education, roads, water and sanitation, as well as ensuring food security in affected communities.

“In order to further strengthen the ongoing recovery efforts, Government has allocated an additional amount of $352,5 million,” he said in a speech read on his behalf by the ministry’s chief director, Communications and Advocacy, Mr Clive Mphambela during the launch of the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery and Idai Emergency Recovery and Resilience projects.

World Bank regional director for social, urban and rural resilience Mr Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez said through the unique partnerships, they hope to contribute to national and regional development.

“Ensuring integrated and coordinated support for affected communities, this project will assist in the renewal of livelihoods with a focus on building back smarter and longer-term resilience building.

“Through these unique partnerships we hope to contribute to how national and regional authorities; development and humanitarian partners can and must work together in providing critical development assistance,” he said.

Said AfDB country manager Mr Damoni Kitabire: “Whilst the combined interventions of US$24,5 million by the AfDB and the US$72 million from the World Bank might appear substantial to address the issues of lost livelihoods and partial restoration of the damaged infrastructure in the affected communities, in reality, it is not. Much more is needed to ensure that the people go back to the livelihoods they had before the disaster struck.”

In a statement, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo said: “The launch of the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project and the Resilience project give impetus and reaction to the recovery stretch where we will work with partners from the private sector, World Bank, AfDB, DFID, People’s Republic of China and South Africa, European Union, the United Nations just to mention a few as we assist the affected communities to build resilience.

“To date Civil Protection Committees remain fully activated at all levels as they continue to support the affected communities in realising the ultimate goal of building their resilience.”

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