Senegalese President Macky Sall has officially launched a programme of financial allowances for over half a million poor households. This is to help them cope with the effects of the war in Ukraine and Covid-19.
Faced with the rising inflation caused by the war in Ukraine and the covid19 pandemic, several African states have taken measures to help the population, especially the poorest, to cope with the rising prices.
In Senegal, President Macky Sall officially launched the direct cash aid programme on Tuesday 10 May. The programme covers 542,000 vulnerable households identified in advance. A total of 43 billion CFA francs (the equivalent of 66 million euros) is allocated to this project and each household will receive 80,000 CFA francs, or 121 euros.
“It is to provide solutions to the unfavourable situation that I have decided to support the resilience of 542,966 households listed in the single national register to receive an exceptional cash transfer from the State,” said the Senegalese Head of State.
“The objective is to give 80,000 CFA francs (121 euros) per household to improve their level of consumption and the education of their children,” continued Macky Sall, before describing the operation as an “exceptional emergency measure”.
In addition, the transfer of funds to households will be done through mobile payments. In his speech at the launching of the programme, Macky Sall did not fail to thank the partners who have contributed to its realisation, including the World Bank and other donors such as Germany and the United Kingdom.
In 2020, when the world was suffering from the effects of the Covid pandemic, the government launched a distribution of food kits (bags of rice, packets of sugar or even cans of oil), but this time it is a cash transfer via mobile phone. This is a highly social action that can improve the living standards of people already struggling with rising prices.
