IMF and World Bank stand ready to help member countries tackle COVID-19, Kristalina Georgieva and David Malpass say in joint statement

Simon Ateba

Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa | + posts

Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa. Simon covers President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, the U.S. government, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington D.C. and New York City.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group stand ready to help “member countries address the human tragedy and economic challenge posed by COVID-19,” IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass said in a joint statement in Washington D.C. on Monday morning.

The coronavirus which causes COVID-19 disease has spread to over 60 countries, including at least three in Africa, killed more than 3000 people and infected over 80 thousand others.

“We are engaged actively with international institutions and country authorities, with special attention to poor countries where health systems are the weakest and people are most vulnerable,” Georgieva and Malpass said.

“We will use our available instruments to the fullest extent possible, including emergency financing, policy advice, and technical assistance. In particular, we have rapid financing facilities that, collectively, can help countries respond to a wide range of needs. The strengthening of country health surveillance and response systems is crucial to contain the spread of this and any future outbreaks.

“International cooperation is essential to deal with the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 virus. The IMF and the World Bank Group are fully committed to provide the support that people in our member countries expect from us,” they added in the statement received by TODAY NEWS AFRICA in Washington D.C.