A.D.B. assists Samoa

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The Asian Development Bank (A.D.B.) has assisted Samoa with a $10 million grant to help the country manage COVID-19.

This was announced in a statement issued by the A.D.B. on Monday afternoon.

The $10 million ($25.6 million tala) grant is from A.D.B’s Pacific Disater Reslience Programme (Phase 3) to help the Government finance its response to COVID-19.

Savalalo Bus Station

Photo: Piui Simi Sesega

The programme, according to the statement, fills a financing gap common to many Pacific developing member countries during disasters, providing a predictable and quick-disbursing source of financing for early response and recovery activities.

With total number of cases in the country at 7,185, the A.D.B. Director General for the Pacific Leah Gutierrez said in the statement that the grant will assist Samoa in recovery.

“This quick disbursing financing will enable the Government of Samoa to rapidly put in place measures to contain the virus,” she said.

“Rising vaccination rates will help Samoa and most of the Pacific subregion recover from the effects of the pandemic.”

Samoa has been in Alert Level 2 Lockdown for nearly a month. Under the current Alert Level 2 Lockdown, businesses are able to operate from 6am to 8pm, while services open from 12pm to 8pm on Sunday.