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The World Bank (WB) extends a U.S. $50 million loan to
Belarus for the Post-Chernobyl Recovery Project, the WB said in a statement. Funding will take the form of a Variable Spread Loan with repayment over a 17 year period, including five years’ grace.
Counterpart funding from the government of Belarus amounts to an additional $11 million. The project marks a shift from humanitarian assistance towards longer-term sustainable development.
The Post-Chernobyl Recovery Project will provide cleaner as well as more energy-efficient heating systems and better insulation in schools, hospitals and orphanages. The project will replace inefficient communal boilers and dilapidated heat distribution system.
The project responds to the recommendations of the Chernobyl Forum which stress socio-economic factors in helping people living in the area to recover and prosper.
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