The Gambia Secures More Funds for COVID-19 Vaccines
“The World Bank Board approved $8 million additional financing from the International Development Association to provide The Gambia with safe and effective vaccine purchase and deployment.”
News & Analysis: Gambia
How COVID-19 changed the path of remittances in The Gambia
Analysis and Opinion Gambia World Bank Article/Blog post by Milken Institute staff“During the second and third quarters of 2020, remittances grew by 89.3 percent year-on-year, compared to 18.5 percent for the same period in 2019. Notably, the start of this record-breaking growth coincided with the first state of emergency declaration on March 27 and the subsequent border closures. “
The dangers of playing politics with COVID-19 cures
Analysis and Opinion Gambia / Liberia / Madagascar African Arguments Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar announced that a plant-based tonic, Covid Organics, was an effective treatment for COVID-19. Scepticism over the claim was countered not with rigorous scientific evidence but politicised rhetoric.”
A Hollow Victory: The Hidden Cost of COVID-19 on Women’s Health in West Africa
Analysis and Opinion Gambia / Liberia African Arguments Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“Africa’s low death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic may look like a triumph, but behind the numbers lies a hidden tragedy as the virus impacts women’s access to healthcare.”
The Gambia to Strengthen Health Care Delivery in the Face of COVID-19
Global Response Gambia World Bank Press release by John Schellhase“The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved a $30 million grant from the International Development Association to improve the quality and utilization of essential health services in The Gambia. “
Gambia Tourism to Suffer $292 Million Loss Due to Coronavirus
Latest Developments Gambia Bloomberg Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“Gambia stands to lose $292 million as global travel restrictions imposed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic wreak havoc with the country’s tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Government revenue from the hospitality industry is forecast to decline by $108 million this year, while the sector as a whole is forecast to suffer a loss of $184 million, according to an impact assessment by the national bureau of statistics.”
African Fiscal Vulnerabilities: Effects of 2020 Global Support Initiatives
Analysis and Opinion Algeria / Botswana / Eritrea / Gambia / Libya / Namibia / Sao Tome and Principe / Sierra Leone / Somalia Scope Ratings Report/Study by John Schellhase“Fiscal vulnerabilities among African sovereigns had been building up in the years leading to 2020’s pandemic, driven by challenging economic conditions; unfavourable changes in exchange rates and commodity prices; in addition to significant borrowing, including loans from China, which today is Africa’s largest bilateral lender, alongside greater bond issuance.”
The promise of digitising cash transfers in sub-Saharan Africa during COVID-19 and beyond
Analysis and Opinion Angola / Benin / Botswana / Burkina Faso / Burundi / Cameroon / Chad / Cote d'Ivoire / Eritrea / Ethiopia / Gabon / Gambia / Ghana / Guinea / Guinea-Bissau / Kenya / Lesotho / Liberia / Madagascar / Malawi / Mali / Mauritania / Mauritius / Mozambique / Namibia / Niger / Nigeria / Rwanda Africa Portal by Gaby“This year, the coronavirus pandemic has forced governments to grapple with difficult questions regarding lockdowns, contact tracing and the provision of emergency financial assistance to citizens now without work. In developing countries, these hardships are magnified with the World Bank estimating that remittances – money transfers sent from foreign workers to their home countries – to low and middle-income countries (LMICs) are projected to fall by 19.7 percent (from $554 billion in 2019 to $445 billion in 2020). Considering the significant role that remittances play in alleviating poverty and improving nutrition, many governments have turned to mobile cash transfers for vulnerable citizens to use while minimising COVID-19 exposure.”
African Development Bank approves $53 million COVID-19 response grant for Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
Global Response Gambia / Liberia / Sierra Leone AfDB Press release by John Schellhase“The African Development Bank’s Board of Directors on Friday approved a UA 38.15 million ($53.25 million) multi-country grant to The Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the form of direct budget support to bolster efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the three West African countries.”
‘The pandemic is gaining momentum’: Africa prepares for surge in infections
Analysis and Opinion Botswana / Burundi / Gambia / Namibia / South Africa Financial Times Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“After months in which Africa escaped the worst of the coronavirus pandemic as the global centre shifted from Asia to Europe and then to the Americas, the number of African infections — and deaths — has begun to increase sharply.”
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