The World Bank will provide 1.5 billion USD in additional support to Ukraine, World Bank Group President David Malpass announced. In an interview with "Gazeta SGH" he noted that Poland has become an inspiration for the world by welcoming people into its homes. This is welcomed and appreciated by the world. The World Bank has programs to support refugees and we are working on programs that would support refugees in Poland, but also in Moldova and Romania, the WBG president informed.
Karolina Cygonek: Mr. President, in a couple of minutes at SGH Warsaw School of Economics you are going to deliver a keynote speech ahead of Spring Meetings 2022 (of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group. Would you reveal any details concerning the upcoming meeting, would be Ukraine in the agenda?
David Malpass: What my key message is to come in to the people of Poland, the people of Warsaw, the people of Europe, as they welcome the refugees and support the refugees here in Warsaw and in the area, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has put a great strain on people everywhere. I will talk about Ukraine in terms of the aid and support that the World Bank is providing there. And we have good news on that would be adding to the support and I will be announcing that at the meeting, another round of support from the World Bank to the people of Ukraine
Have you arrived in Poland with any concrete propositions of financial support for Ukraine? If yes, in which dimension, in which areas?
Yes, we will be adding to the support that we are giving to the government of Ukraine for workers in Ukraine, hospital workers, retiaries. It’s an additional 1,5 billion USD of support. And that’s made possible by the IDA19 and the decision made by the donors and the recipients of IDA 19 yesterday (11 April). So it’s additional support for the people of Ukraine.
How do you perceive the role of Poland in terms of assistance provided to the Ukrainians and the Ukrainian state and in terms of dealing with this huge refugee crisis? Does the World Bank envision any assistance for Poland in this regard?
Poland has been an inspiration to the world by taking people into their homes, into their cities and providing services. And that’s welcomed by the world and recognized by the world.
The World Bank has programs to support refugees in other parts of the world and we are working on programs that would be supportive of refugees here in Poland, but also in Moldova and Romania, which are also taking some of the refugees.
