Skip to main content

Djibouti: World Bank to support the rehabilitation of infrastructure damaged by Floods

Countries
Djibouti
Sources
World Bank
Publication date

News Release No:2004/70/MNA
WASHINGTON, September 3, 2004 - The World Bank approved yesterday a $6.5 million project to assist the Government of Djibouti help people hurt by floods that devastated the region last April. The money will be used to rehabilitate social and economic infrastructure that was damaged.

The Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project aims to help families who have lost their homes and been relocated into a resettlement zone by providing basic infrastructure. Seven primary schools and four health centers will be repaired The schools will accommodate thousands of students, who may otherwise start the new academic year dispersed in other buildings. The health centers will cater to about 100,000 people, and thus reduce the strain currently placed on health centers that escaped the flood.

"The project was a fast-track response to the devastation caused by the floods and an effort to improve the living conditions of the affected families," stated Hedi Larbi, Sector Manager, Urban and Transport Sectors, in the Middle East and North Africa Region.

The Government of Djibouti, with the help of the World Bank and other donors, has also included technical assistance and consultancy services to support long and short term disaster prevention management plans in the project.

The project consists of: a grant from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's lending arm, which provides interest-free development assistance to the poorest countries with per capita annual incomes of $885 or less; and an IDA loan on standard terms with a maturity of 40 years and a 10-year grace period.

Since 1977 Djibouti has been hit by 6 devastating floods and 5 severe droughts that affecting over 90,000 people. The April floods, killed an estimated 100 people and impacted over 100,000 others -- 15% of the country's population.

Media Contact:

In Washington - Lara Saade (202) 473-3245
lsaade@worldbank.org

For information on the World Bank's activities in Djibouti, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/dj