CEB to finance the acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines for Kosovo
The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) has approved an additional €25 million loan to support Kosovo authorities’ efforts to purchase COVID-19 vaccines for about 50% of the population. The financing will also cover the cost of the consumables associated with the roll-out of the vaccines and medical equipment.
Kosovo will receive vaccines for 20% of the population from the Gavi COVAX Facility. The CEB loan will co-finance the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines for another 50% of the population.
The CEB financing comes with an interest-rate subsidy grant from the Bank’s Social Dividend Account. It will complement the funding made available by the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank to help Kosovo to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new loan builds on a €35 million financing agreement signed in August 2020, which covered a part of Kosovo’s emergency healthcare costs, with a focus on hardship incentives to healthcare and pharmacy employees and the acquisition of medical equipment, supplies and consumables.