Afghanistan COVID-19 Response Development Policy Grant

The Afghanistan COVID-19 Response Development Policy Grant will support the Government of Afghanistan in managing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant development objective is fully aligned with government’s eight-point plan for COVID-19 response and the World Bank’s broader rapid response. It will support vital policy and institutional reform measures under two pillars: i) strengthening the policy framework to support relief and recovery for vulnerable people and firms; and ii) strengthening the policy framework for recovery and resilience in infrastructure provision. 

Expected Results

Policy actions supported by the operation are expected to lead to:

1. Expansion in bank credit to small and medium enterprises as a share of total bank lending
2. Increase in the number of issued mobile wallets for e-money, to both men and women
3. Increase in the proportion of healthcare workers with access to personal protective equipment
4. Increase in the number of schools provided with training and awareness raising on gender-based violence
5. Reduction in total public sector arrears to the energy utility
6. Increase in the volume of safe water supplied by utilities in main urban centers