The World Bank has announced an approval for additional financing from the International Development Association amounting to $100 million, aimed at assisting Mali and Chad in mitigating the impacts of the 2024 floods. Each country will receive $50 million in support.
In Chad, the funds will further the initial activities of the Integrated Project for Flood Control and Urban Resilience in N'Djamena, known as PILLAR. This initiative seeks to reconstruct damaged infrastructure and build new, more resilient structures to improve access for at-risk populations during the rainy season. Measures will also be implemented to reduce and manage flood risks.
Mali will use the additional financing to boost the Bamako Urban Resilience Project, following the activation of its emergency response component for $73 million immediately after the floods. This contribution aims to aid the government's post-disaster recovery efforts and enhance the country's disaster response capacity.
Clara De Sousa, Division Director at the World Bank, stated, "The speed with which the two additional financing was mobilized is a testament to the World Bank's readiness to respond adequately to the scale of needs in Mali and Chad, which were severely affected by the 2024 floods." De Sousa added, "This operation is part of strengthening our emergency response and resilience to disasters in the Sahel region, which is fully exposed to inexorable climate changes."
During August to October 2024, Mali experienced severe flooding affecting all regions and impacting more than 370,000 people, with 95 casualties recorded. The floods caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, schools, and health centers. Meanwhile, Chad's floods affected 1.94 million people, caused 576 deaths, and resulted in the destruction of cropland, homes, roads, and embankments.
The Global Facility For Disaster Reduction and Recovery facilitated the accelerated preparation of the additional financing, supporting the projects PILIER and PRUBA.