ANTANANARIVO, January 19, 2017 – The World Bank Vice President for Africa, Makhtar Diop, confirmed today the Bank’s commitment to support Madagascar with $1.3 billion over the next three years, as pledged in Paris last December during the international donors conference. He made this announcement during a courtesy call on the President of the Republic of Madagascar, Hery Rajaonarimampianina.
Among the issues discussed were the investments and reforms needed to improve the living conditions of Madagascar’s people. Two development areas - energy and nutrition – surfaced as priorities during the conversation. Currently, only 14% of the Malagasy population has access to electricity and one child (under the age of five) out of two suffers from stunting caused by malnutrition.
“The World Bank will work with the government to improve two critical development factors: human development and access to energy,” declared Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Africa. “This will entail scaling up nutrition for children and expanding electricity access to a greater percentage of the Malagasy population.”
President Hery Rajaonarimampianina expressed his government’s appreciation, noting: “I welcome the continued and tangible support of the World Bank to help improve the social and economic development of Madagascar. I am very pleased that the commitments announced in Paris have begun to materialize into action through projects.”
Present at the meetings were the Ministers of Finances and Budget, Gervais Rakotoarimanana, Economy and Planning, Herilanto Raveloharison, and the Governor of the Central Bank, Alain Rasolofondraibe, as well the World Bank Country Director for Madagascar, Mark Lundell, and World Bank Country Manager for Madagascar, Coralie Gevers.
This is Vice President Diop’s second visit to Madagascar, following an initial visit in May 2014. Mr. Diop is leading a meeting of World Bank senior directors working on Africa to deliberate on issues pertinent to the development of the continent.
