UN sets up emergency fund to help Guinea-Bissau maintain key social services

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today announced the establishment of an emergency fund to help Guinea-Bissau cover its destabilizing budget gap so that the country's Transitional Government can resume social services.

The West African nation currently faces a $18.3 million shortfall. Some of the new resources will go to pay health workers and teachers, and to enable public utilities to function.

The Government was virtually bankrupt and public services curtailed when President Kumba Yala was overthrown in September. A transitional charter agreed on by the military, political parties and civil society organizations calls for legislative elections in March and presidential elections within another 12 months. It also spells out arrangements for transitional rule.

UNDP will administer the fund, which has received $2 million so far from the Netherlands, with Sweden also pledging its support.

UNDP Resident Representative Albéric Kacou said the money would serve as a bridge during the transition. "While the resumption of a full-fledged dialogue on development priorities will have to wait for the return to constitutional order, the fund will provide crucial support in the interim period," he noted.