World Bank Vice President Visits Djibouti, Reaffirms Support to Resilient and Inclusive Growth
WASHINGTON — World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, Ferid Belhaj, visited Djibouti on March 26-27 and reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to the country’s resilient and inclusive recovery from COVID-19 and its efforts to accelerate more and better investments in people.
Mr. Belhaj met Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed; Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge of Industry, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh; and other key members of the government. Mr. Belhaj was accompanied by World Bank Country Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti, Ms. Marina Wes and Resident Representative in Djibouti, Mr. Boubacar-Sid Barry.
“Djibouti is working hard to achieve its goal of reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity,” said Ferid Belhaj. “We are committed to supporting Djibouti’s important reform agenda, as well as its efforts to mitigate the ripple effects of drought and climate change, regional instability and the impact of the war in Ukraine on food and fuel prices.”
During the visit, Mr. Belhaj and Mr. Dawaleh signed an agreement for a new project, the Skills Development for Employment Project, which is aimed at equipping young Djiboutians with the skills required to access the labor market and ensure better employment prospects. The project was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on March 23 and consists of $15 million in financing from the International Development Association (IDA), the Bank’s fund for the poorest countries.
Mr. Belhaj also exchanged ideas with students from the University of Djibouti and discussed their hopes for the future. “The government’s focus on creating jobs and building a more dynamic and inclusive economy will create more opportunities for these young people,” said Mr. Belhaj after meeting with the students.
The World Bank in Djibouti
The World Bank’s portfolio in Djibouti consists of 15 projects totaling US$329 million in financing from IDA. The portfolio is focused on education, health, social safety nets, energy, rural community development, urban poverty reduction, the modernization of public administration, governance, regional infrastructure, and private sector development with an emphasis on women and youth.