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MoFA opposes taking WB fund for Covid-19

Published : Friday, 30 July, 2021 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1041

The Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over the World Bank's US$160 billion fund designed for Covid-19 responses in low-and middle-income countries including Bangladesh under IDA19, as it feels that it might create a serious obstacle against Rohingya repatriation to their homeland Myanmar in future.
"We suggested the Economic Relation Division (ERD) not to take any fund from here, it may give a signal from Bangladesh's side that we are ready to go for the "inclusion" of Rohingyas into our socio-economic structure, which is not correct, our one point demand is to repatriate them to their homeland as soon as possible," a senior official of the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
If the World Bank does not withdraw some clauses from the loan disbursement agreement, the government should not take any support from here for the greater interest of the country, he said.
"We want to sit with the ERD within a couple of days to convey our opinion," the official added, however, he did not want to be quoted.
The World Bank is to announce financial commitment to Covid-19 responses in low-and middle-income countries. The World Bank has pledged $160 billion over 15 months. The Bank announced it will fast-track an initial $2.7 billion in new financing for middle-income countries, and $3.3 billion in new and reprioritized financing for low-income countries.
However, if the ERD does not send its opinion before July 31, it seems that the government has okayed the proposal, the Foreign Ministry official said.
Meanwhile, the WB has sent a copy of "Refugee Policy Review Framework (RPRF)" to the ERD seeking its opinion over the fund.
"Under IDA19, the World Bank is committed to develop a RPRF, which will assess policies relevant to the socio-economic development of refugees and host communities, to inform support through the Window for Hosts and Refugees. World Bank consultations with host governments about the RPRF are an optimal moment to discuss the benefits of inclusive refugee policies, including for mitigating the impacts of Covid-19," the WB's proposal said.
World Bank said this fund has certain objectives
including (1) systematically include displaced populations in World Bank-funded Covid-19 response plans and activities, including national healthcare, social safety net schemes, and remote education programmes.
(2) Leverage this crisis to drive inclusive national policies, (3) proactively coordinate with humanitarian actors, including UN agencies and NGOs, (4) Ensure programmes are adequately and appropriately adapted to meet needs (5) Through the Joint Data Centre, generate evidence on the socioeconomic impacts of Covid-19 in fragile and conflict-affected states and for displaced populations, it reads.
The World Bank, IMF and G-20 should determine if international debt relief measures and more inclusive national refugee policies - such as extending the right to work - could go hand-in-hand by way of a compact agreement to help economies recover.
In 2016, the World Bank designed two financing mechanisms specifically to support middle- and low-income refugee-hosting countries - the Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF) and the IDA Window for Hosts and Refugees (WHR, formerly the Refugee Sub-Window). Together, these mechanisms currently fund programmes in 17 countries across a range of sectors, from a health project in Jordan to a social safety net programme in Cameroon to an education programme in Bangladesh.
"If we take money from here it will allow the Rohingya people to take part in our social and economical and educational activity along with its long term NOC from the government side to live here as a citizen of Bangladesh," official said.









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