World Bank backs Marshall Islands' response to El Niño, dengue outbreak

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By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Majuro—The World Bank Group has released $11 million to support the Marshall Islands' response to the impacts of El Niño, which is triggering public health threats, including a dengue outbreak.

The banking institution announced the new financing on the heels of President Hilda Heine’s Oct. 8 directive, declaring the Pacific nation in a state of emergency, facilitating a national response to the anomalous weather pattern, which is expected to strengthen throughout the end of the year and continue into 2027;

The presidential proclamation noted that El Niño conditions have resulted in hazardous winds and swells that have caused damage and pose further risks to coastal areas and infrastructure.

Heine warned that El Niño will put further strain on water supply, food security, agriculture, public health, essential services and community livelihoods.

"The Marshall Islands' geographic isolation, limited freshwater resources, dependence on imported goods and dispersed population across numerous atolls and islands increase the vulnerability of communities to the drought and other El Niño-related hazards," Heine's declaration reads.

At the same time, the dengue outbreak affecting Majuro and Ebeye has placed additional pressure on health services and government resources.

“For families across the Marshall Islands, El Niño and dengue are putting added pressure on daily life and the services they rely on,” said Tatiana Proskuryakova, World Bank Group director for the South and North Pacific.

“This rapid financing is about getting support to communities when they need it most while keeping the critical services people depend on running," she added.

The World Bank said the funding assistance comes from the Marshall Islands’ Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option, a pre-arranged source of financing that can be accessed when a qualifying emergency occurs.

The Marshall Islands became the first country in the region to activate the World Bank Group’s Contingent Emergency Response Project earlier this year.

The Pacific island nation has mobilized $3.6 million from its existing World Bank Group portfolio to help households cope with the impacts of the fuel crisis.

“This financing demonstrates the value of preparing before a crisis occurs,” said David Paul, the Marshall Islands’ finance minister.

“By strengthening our financial preparedness in advance, the Marshall Islands is able to access resources quickly when emergencies arise and respond more effectively to protect communities and maintain essential services," he added.

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