FG as UN mobilizes $250m to support Nigeria’s COVID-19 recovery efforts.
The Federal Government has said it welcomed the initiative by the United Nations. UN, to collaborate with some development partners to complement Nigeria’s COVID-19 economic recovery efforts under the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan, ESP.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who appreciated the UN gesture to mobilize $250 million to support Nigeria’s ESP, said it was a fitting acknowledgement of the country’s effort in addressing the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Prof Osinbajo stated this at the launch of the United Nations Plus Offer for Socio-Economic Recovery attended by the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Mrs Amina Mohammed and top officials of the world body at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice president, Laolu Akande explained that the UN Plus Offer was an initiative of the UN in Nigeria Development Partners Group.
“the offer aligns with the government’s Economic Sustainability Plan. It seeks to mobilize close to $250 million and will provide targeted support to the development of health response systems ($13.3m) protecting people ($53.3), macroeconomic stability and economic recovery ($30.7m) as well as social protection (26.6m) to assist communities in building back better”.
Speaking on the importance of initiative, Osinbajo said, “i think that rallying to support and think through a programme such as the UN Plus Offer for socio-economic recovery is a demonstration of the kinship that we developed with out partners and the United Nations.
“This initiative is also important because it mirrors our Economic Sustainability Plan and also does so in excellent complement of our plan. This is very helpful to us because we put together a plan that will cost us N2.3 trillion and half of that is in the form of loans and facilities and the other half of it is budgeted funds.
This offer is aimed at supporting Nigeria in its immediate effort at risk mitigation by cushioning vulnerable communities and through medium term measures that will aid socio-economic recovery while addressing structural drivers of exclusion, inequality and discrimination as a component of recovering better”, Mrs Mohammed noted.
On his part, the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, Resident Representative and Chair of the National Development Partners Group, Mr Mohammed Yahaya, said the offer was in response to the UN Secretary General’s call for action, noting that the offer was to support the government’s action on post COVID-19 medium term socio-economic recovery.