IMF Approves $411M Virus Aid for Ethiopia

Reuters

WASHINGTON, April 30 (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund approved $411 million in emergency assistance for Ethiopia on Thursday to help the east African country with the coronavirus pandemic.

The IMF said in a statement that it also approved Ethiopia’s request for a suspension of debt service payments to the Fund, of about $12 million through Oct. 13. The suspension could be extended up to April 13, 2022, subject to the availability of resources in the IMF’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust for poor countries.

With the approvals, disbursements under Ethiopia’s existing $2.9 billion IMF loan programs approved in December 2019 would get a “re-phasing.” Access to the Extended Fund Facility would be reduced to “maximize” financial support under the Rapid Financing Facility loan, the IMF said.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created severe health risks and weighed heavily on the Ethiopian economy. If the pandemic is not contained, it will put severe pressure on the health system with devastating social consequences,” the IMF said.

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