Burkina Faso and the Republic of Niger, two West African countries which rank among the poorest in the world, are to benefit from an aid package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to the tune of almost $230 million (€210 million), according to Agence France Press (AFP).
The money has been earmarked to help the two Sahel countries fight the coronavirus pandemic, even as they pine in the heat of excruciating battles against Islamic terrorists whose atrocities have claimed thousands of lives and rendered hundreds of thousands homeless.
The money, allocated under the IMF’s Rapid Credit Facility, for the smoothening up of urgent balance-of-payment needs, has already been disbursed. Burkina Faso gets $115.3 million, while $114.5 million goes to Niger Republic.
The two countries will equally enjoy IMF debt service relief.