UNICEF welcomes additional support from the Asian Development Bank for COVID-19

BANGKOK, 30 June 2020: UNICEF welcomes an additional US$13.2 million grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to provide urgent medical supplies in 18 countries in South Asia and East Asia and Pacific to support governments in the ongoing response to COVID-19.  

UNICEF has been working with governments to help prevent the spread of the virus among communities. This grant is on top of the US$3.5 million provided in March 2020 bringing ADB’s total COVID-19 support to UNICEF to US$16.7 million. It will be used to buy medical supplies and personal protective equipment in Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Timor Leste. 

“We thank ADB for its continued and strengthened partnership with UNICEF to respond to the COVID-19 crisis,” said Karin Hulshof, UNICEF Regional Director, East Asia and Pacific. “The virus is a threat to people everywhere. Together with partners like ADB, we can make sure children and families recover, rebound and reimagine for a stronger future. COVID-19 should not become a lasting crisis for children and the most vulnerable populations.”

The collaboration between ADB and UNICEF links to COVID-19 pandemic response plans in all partner countries, adding value in policy, strategy, design and implementation in the immediate and long-term.

“UNICEF is a trusted partner of ADB and we have been very happy to work in tandem to provide much-needed assistance to our developing member countries to combat the COVID-19 pandemic," said ADB Director General of Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department Woochong Um.

"The assistance for these critical emergency medical supplies comes from ADB's overall package of $20 billion to help our members deal with the pandemic. Together with partners such as UNICEF, ADB is working to mitigate the health, economic, and social impact of this crisis in Asia and the Pacific."

UNICEF, ADB, together with governments, civil society and other development partners, strengthen the country capacity with technical support for both hardware (provision of essential supplies and equipment) and development components in the areas of health, water, sanitation, hygiene, and social protection to enable frontline workers and communities to protect themselves against COVID-19.

Joint efforts highlighted in this partnership will provide a coordinated effective response to address COVID-19 challenges and help reimagine a better future for children and their families. We look forward to broadening our engagement with ADB, deepening public-private partnerships, including use of digital technology, to combat COVID-19 and beyond.

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About ADB

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

Visit www.adb.org

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. Follow UNICEF on Twitter and Facebook

For further information, please contact: Shima Islam, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific, Bangkok, +66 (0) 62 602 8540, ssislam@unicef.org