Cook Islands : COVID-19 Active Response and Economic Support Program
The program is part of a coordinated package of Asian Development Bank (ADB) support to mitigate the severe socioeconomic and potential health impacts caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic by supporting the government's Economic Response Plan (ERP). The program will help the government combat the entry and spread of COVID-19 and provide assistance to vulnerable groups, households, and businesses. This program is critical because the Cook Islands faces significant declines in international tourism and government revenue because of COVID-19.
Project Details
-
Project Officer
Webb, James M.
Pacific Department
Request for information -
Country/Economy
Cook Islands -
Sector
- Public sector management
| Project Name | COVID-19 Active Response and Economic Support Program | ||||||||||||
| Project Number | 54289-001 | ||||||||||||
| Country / Economy | Cook Islands |
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| Project Status | Closed | ||||||||||||
| Project Type / Modality of Assistance | Grant Loan |
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| Source of Funding / Amount |
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| Operational Priorities | OP1: Addressing remaining poverty and reducing inequalities OP2: Accelerating progress in gender equality OP6: Strengthening governance and institutional capacity OP7: Fostering regional cooperation and integration |
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| Sector / Subsector |
Health / Disease control of communicable disease - Health system development Public sector management / Public expenditure and fiscal management - Social protection initiatives |
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| Gender | Effective gender mainstreaming | ||||||||||||
| Description | The program is part of a coordinated package of Asian Development Bank (ADB) support to mitigate the severe socioeconomic and potential health impacts caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic by supporting the government's Economic Response Plan (ERP). The program will help the government combat the entry and spread of COVID-19 and provide assistance to vulnerable groups, households, and businesses. This program is critical because the Cook Islands faces significant declines in international tourism and government revenue because of COVID-19. | ||||||||||||
| Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | The Cook Islands consists of 15 islands with a land area of 67 square kilometers, spread across 2 million square kilometers of the South Pacific Ocean. Almost 80% of the population of 17,434 in 2020 resides in Rarotonga. The shift in economic structure toward tourism since the late 1990s has led to rapid development, with basic needs poverty falling from 28.4% in 2006 to 8.4% by 2016. The Cook Islands is one of the smallest and most remote nations in the Pacific Ocean, with high cost structures and limited natural resources. The economy remains heavily dependent on international trade (including tourism); and future growth is hampered by disproportionately expensive public administration and infrastructure costs, a small population, and high exposure to disaster and climate risks. The Cook Islands is not a member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the World Bank, so it has limited access to external support. | ||||||||||||
| Impact | Fiscal and economic impact of COVID-19 mitigated in a manner that does not undermine the government's ability to undertake further fiscal intervention. |
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| Project Outcome | |
|---|---|
| Description of Outcome | Effect of the Program Adverse impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on the population and businesses reduced |
| Progress Toward Outcome | |
| Implementation Progress | |
| Description of Project Outputs | Health system's COVID-19 response measures strengthened Livelihoods protected by compensating for economic losses Economic relief for affected businesses delivered |
| Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues) | |
| Geographical Location | Nation-wide |
| Safeguard Categories | |
|---|---|
| Environment | C |
| Involuntary Resettlement | C |
| Indigenous Peoples | C |
| Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Aspects | |
| Involuntary Resettlement | |
| Indigenous Peoples | |
| Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | |
| During Project Design | |
| During Project Implementation | |
| Responsible ADB Officer | Webb, James M. |
| Responsible ADB Department | Pacific Department |
| Responsible ADB Division | PASP |
| Executing Agencies |
Ministry of Finance & Economic Management |
| Timetable | |
|---|---|
| Concept Clearance | 24 Apr 2022 |
| Fact Finding | 11 Aug 2020 to 14 Aug 2020 |
| MRM | 22 Sep 2020 |
| Approval | 24 Nov 2020 |
| Last Review Mission | - |
| Last PDS Update | 19 Mar 2021 |
Loan 4010-COO
| Milestones | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
| Original | Revised | Actual | |||
| 24 Nov 2020 | 26 Nov 2020 | 04 Dec 2020 | 31 Jan 2021 | - | 31 Jan 2021 |
| Financing Plan | Loan Utilization | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (Amount in US$ million) | Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
| Project Cost | 20.00 | Cumulative Contract Awards | |||
| ADB | 20.00 | 17 Jan 2023 | 21.42 | 0.00 | 100% |
| Counterpart | 0.00 | Cumulative Disbursements | |||
| Cofinancing | 0.00 | 17 Jan 2023 | 21.42 | 0.00 | 100% |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
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| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 Active Response and Economic Support Program: Completion Report | Project/Program Completion Reports | Dec 2022 |
| Loan Agreement (Ordinary Operations) for Loan 4010-COO: Countercyclical Support for COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Program | Loan Agreement (Ordinary Resources) | Nov 2020 |
| COVID-19 Active Response and Economic Support Program: Report and Recommendation of the President | Reports and Recommendations of the President | Nov 2020 |
Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.
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Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation
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Related Publications
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