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COVID-19: IMF Approves $1.39 Billion In Emergency Pandemic Aid For Pakistan

The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 145,000 with over 2.1 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.

Here’s a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL’s broadcast regions.

Pakistan

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Executive Board on April 16 approved $1.39 billion in emergency financing to Pakistan to help it address the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The funds will help Pakistan meet the “urgent balance of payment needs” stemming from the outbreak, the IMF said in a news release.

Geoffrey Okamoto, first deputy managing director, said the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, is having a significant impact on the Pakistani economy.

The urgent balance of payments needs have been created by domestic containment measures coupled with the global economic downturn, Okamoto said. These are “severely affecting growth and straining external financing,” he said.

The funds will help Pakistan deal with a decline in international reserves and allow it to fund temporary spending aimed at containing the pandemic and mitigating its economic impact, the IMF said.

“With the near-term outlook deteriorating sharply, the authorities have swiftly put in place measures to contain the impact of the shock and support economic activity,” the IMF said. “Crucially, health spending has been increased and social support strengthened.”

Pakistan’s government on April 14 announced an extension of the nationwide shutdown and restrictions on public gatherings for another two weeks. Educational institutions will also remain shut during that period.

The government has said, however, that a number of industries would be allowed to operate if they adhere to safety guidelines. Among them is the construction industry.

Pakistan has already been in lockdown for three weeks, prompting warnings that a prolonged economic halt could push half of the country’s population into poverty.

Pakistan has reported about 7,000 coronavirus cases and 128 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria has banned traffic entering and leaving Sofia starting on April 17 and lasting through the Orthodox Easter holiday in a move to strengthen measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The ban is necessary because of a “massive departure” of Bulgarians from the capital in cars earlier this week ahead of the four-day holiday weekend, according to Interior Minister Mladen Marinow.

General Ventsislav Mutafchiiski, the chief of Bulgaria’s National Operations Headquarters, said the departures were very worrying because Sofia is the center of the outbreak in the country and the movement will lead to a worsening of the coronavirus spread.

Mutafchiiski did not rule out even stricter measures to crack down on the movements of some Bulgarians.

The order was issued by Health Minister Kiril Ananiev late on April 16 at an extraordinary briefing of the Council of Ministers.

Ananiev said exceptions are allowed for police cars, ambulances, delivery trucks, and telecommunications company vehicles. Traffic inside the city will not be restricted.

The number of coronavirus infections in Bulgaria jumped to 800 on April 16, with 38 deaths recorded in the country, according to a database maintained by Johns Hopkins University.

Around 4,000 churches in Bulgaria will remain open during the Orthodox Easter weekend, but the parishioners have been asked not to go out and instead to pray at home because of the infection risk.

Supermarkets, pharmacies, and petrol stations are the only businesses open in Bulgaria. The country’s state of emergency has been extended until May 13.

With reporting by dpa and RFE/RL’s Bulgarian Service
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