Yesterday the office of the Ministry of Economy and Finance Minister Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh and the resident-representative of the World Bank in Djibouti Homa-Zohra Fotouhi, endorsed the signing of a financing agreement in the presence of Secretary of State for National Solidarity Zahra Youssouf Kayad. Through this financing agreement, the lender gives the Djibouti government an additional credit of 5 million for the project to strengthen social safety nets.
The Republic of Djibouti and the World Bank yesterday signed a funding agreement for the National strengthening social safety nets program. The signatories were the Minister of Economy and Finance, responsible for Industry, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh and the resident-representative of the World Bank in Djibouti Homa-Zohra Fotouhi. The conclusion of the MoU took place in the office of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, responsible for Industry. And this must be added in the presence of the Secretary of State for National Solidarity Zahra Youssouf Kayad.
The funding agreement requires the grant of an additional credit of 5 million US dollars to ensure the continuation of the building project of social safety nets. Which has already contributed to the well-being of thousands of households in the most deprived areas of Djibouti. For the target communities benefited from essential guidance on child nutrition and interventions based on the principle “work against cash compensation.” The initiative yesterday so is timely for the authorities concerned and the donor. This is for stakeholders to create temporary employment opportunities for poor and vulnerable populations through community projects-intensive labor, use the “window of opportunity” for 1000 first day to improve nutritional practices of pregnant and breastfeeding women and children by promoting community-based prevention, and establish a social register with the appropriate targeting of the poor. Better identification of beneficiaries and careful coordination of aid are at stake. The conclusion reached in the words MEFI cabinet by the resident-representative of the World Bank in Djibouti. “With this additional funding, we can continue our actions toward women, children and poor families to accompany them to break the cycle of malnutrition and poverty. We will continue to support the development of a strong social protection system in Djibouti. And the establishment of a social register is a key step in this direction, “said Ms. Homa-Zohra Fotouhi.
Incidentally, the supplementary credit of $ 5 million was approved by the Board of Directors of the World Bank last October. Funding is provided by the IDA, the arm of the World Bank for Operations in poor countries. This is in addition to financial support provided by the Bank in the pilot project and the social safety net building program, which received a donation of $ 3.6 million from the Japan Fund for Social Development and a grant 5 million of IDA.
The granting of this new financial package reinforces the sustainability of the project in the areas covered in Balbala, Tadjourah, Dikhil, Arta and Obock but also its expansion in the region of Ali Sabieh. Finally, remember that the project is implemented by the Djibouti Social Development Agency, under the supervision of the Ministry of State for National Solidarity, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, local community organizations and other partners to development.