The Government of Ethiopia today announces availing 5 billion birr (about $154 million) to combat the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and to undertake preparedness tasks (primarily aiming at increasig health care spending). It is indicated that all regions in Ethiopia are preparing quarantine…

The authorities’ preparedness and response plan envisage COVID-19-related health spending to reach CFAF 6.5 billion (or US$11 million) over the next three months (about 0.1 percent of GDP on an annualized basis).

In preparation for the lockdown, social security agency - SASSA - announced that grants for the elderly and people with disabilities will be paid from 30 - 31 March 2020.

The Social Security Board will establish a special fund of about $15 million to assist with income support of up to a maximum of XCD 1,000 (USD 370) per month for workers whose income would have been impacted by COVID-19. Registered self-employed persons who can show that they have been impacted…

Around 18 million low-income households belonging to the informal sector should be targeted to receive monthly emergency subsidies amounting to P5,000 to P8,000 for two months.

The usual one-week waiting period will be waived for people who are in quarantine or have been directed to self-isolate and are claiming for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits (estimated cost of $5M).
Eligible workers with no or limited paid-leave benefits through their employers…

Individuals and firms to get a one-month extension for the following:
- entry and payment of trimestral installments of VAT, excise duty, income
tax, and other fees (education service, telecommunication service etc.)

Individual local governments are providing significant sums to assist the elderly and families with low or no income ($250,000 thus far from Sarajevo municipality Stari Grad). Plans are underway for larger-scale assistance.

Food assistance package to be distributed to informal sector laborers and
those in need of assistance (including those living in old age homes, places of
worship etc.) through ward committees at local level. To be funded by local
and provincial level governments with top-ups…

The government will pay the salaries and wages of export-oriented sectors. Businesses can avail funds from the package at 2% interest to pay their workers' salaries for up to three months. The salaries must be paid to either a bank or mobile financial service account.

The Economic Watch Committee (Comité de veille économique (CVE)
members decided to activate a mobile payment device to transfer cash to
workers operating in the informal sector adversely affected by COVID-19
(only for those who have been directly affected by the GoM…

Food subsidies would include selling rice at Tk5/kg through OMS, down
from Tk30/kg

The Italian government has designated €400m (£358m) for food vouchers

The government has also committed to widen the coverage of the existing social safety net to address the basic needs of people living below the poverty line. These include workers in the informal sector, the daily labourers, old people and destitute women.

The Histadrut (General Organization of Workers) and the government have
agreed on paid leave for workers in the public sector. It is an agreed pooling
system of vacation leave to share with workers who need to stay away from
work. It stipulates that a non-essential…

On 25 and 30 March the Government approved a comprehensive action plan
to counter the adverse coronavirus impact and several measures to offset its
economic and social consequences with a total envelope of at least 300 mln
USD. These included:
• Support to hired…

IDR 3 Trillion to finance contributions to the national health insurance
scheme for 30 million non-salaried workers.

On 25 and 30 March the Government approved a comprehensive action plan
to counter the adverse coronavirus impact and several measures to offset its
economic and social consequences with a total envelope of at least 300 mln
USD. These included:
• Assistance to families…

Electricity - IDR 3.5 Trillion to finance the electricity bill 24 million
households, or approximately 40 percent of the population, with a
450 Volt-Ampere (VA) connection. Those with a 900VA connection
(another 7 million households) will receive a 50 percent discount.

MLSA and SRC (State Revenue Committee) are closely cooperating to
provide cash payments to those who sent to mandatory leave and/or being laid
off (about 70,000 registered employees).

The food voucher program, Sembako, will be expanded from 15 million to 20
million low-income households; bringing the coverage of the program to just
short of 30 percent of the population. The expansion of Sembako also
includes a 33% increase in benefits for a period of nine…

Indonesia’s flagship CCT program, PKH, will receive an additional budget
allocation of IDR 8.3 trillion, which will be used to temporarily increase the
benefit level by approximately 25 percent for three months and expand the
program from 9.2 to 10 million beneficiaries, or…

Indonesia’s flagship CCT program, PKH, will receive an additional budget
allocation of IDR 8.3 trillion, which will be used to temporarily increase the
benefit level by approximately 25 percent for three months and expand the
program from 9.2 to 10 million beneficiaries, or…

Indonesia’s flagship CCT program, PKH, will receive an additional budget
allocation of IDR 8.3 trillion, which will be used to temporarily increase the
benefit level by approximately 25 percent for three months and expand the
program from 9.2 to 10 million beneficiaries, or…

Indonesia’s flagship CCT program, PKH, will receive an additional budget
allocation of IDR 8.3 trillion, which will be used to temporarily increase the
benefit level by approximately 25 percent for three months and expand the
program from 9.2 to 10 million beneficiaries, or…