Western Cape Government & World Bank sign MoU to strengthen partnership

Joint media release: Western Cape Government & World Bank sign MoU to deepen partnership.

Premier Alan Winde and World Bank Country Director for South Africa Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will unlock World Bank technical assistance for the Province. The objective of this intervention is to improve the quality of services delivered and the experience of residents engaging the provincial government.

At the signing ceremony today, the Premier said, “We look forward to collaborating with the World Bank on a range of projects that will help improve the lives of our citizens.” The Premier added, “We will draw on our extensive network of cooperation with the World Bank to offer our citizens better services.”

The MoU will deepen collaboration in the achievement of common objectives and addresses key priorities of the WCG.

World Bank Country Director for South Africa Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly added, “The World Bank Group is looking forward to this collaboration and partnership as we embark on the MoU with the Western Cape. Our MoU sets out a roadmap of reforms and interventions that can be transformational, and where the province could have a huge demonstrative effect in the public policy arena. Enhancing inclusion and access to basic education, healthcare, and mobilisation of the private sector can help to address resource gaps to meet all needs of both the province and the country. This engagement is very much aligned with the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework for South Africa and South Africa’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP). We are envisioning and strategically planning for a post-Covid-19 economic recovery, in support of the goals and objectives of the Western Cape Government.”

“It is by working together that we will achieve our goal of realising a better future for the citizens of the Western Cape. The signing of this MOU today is an opportunity to work with the World Bank on critical projects including energy, education, health, and supply-chain management, to harness the knowledge of this international institution and best-practice based on their international experience,” said Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger.

In the crucial area of energy, the Western Cape Government (WCG) and the World Bank will work together to further unlock renewable energy capabilities for municipalities. The Premier said, “Solving the energy crisis will drastically change the Western Cape’s investment and economic environment.”

Minister Wenger continued, “The focus will be on augmenting the work being done through the Municipal Energy Resilience (MER) Initiative and includes working to support municipalities with frameworks for long-term procurement, requirements for private-sector enablement (e.g. wheeling) as well as transmission and distribution. The collaboration is also working toward the development of an integrated resource planning strategy for the province, in our mission to mitigate the impact of load shedding and making our energy transition as just as possible.”

“Where the priority of health and wellness is concerned, the World Bank has already played a critical role in supporting the planning for a new Tygerberg hospital,” provincial Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Nomafrench Mbombo remarked.

In the classroom, through the MoU, the World Bank will partner with the WCG to support the province in refining planning and implementation of policies as well as new delivery modalities to boost infrastructure investment needs and support childhood development.

“We welcome the inclusion of an education sector assessment, to help us set medium- to long-term strategic priorities to deliver quality education for every learner, in every classroom, in every school in the Western Cape,” said provincial Education Minister David Maynier

In the area of procurement, the institution’s expertise will support efforts in procurement planning and digitisation. “This is an integral part of the Provincial Government’s drive to build a modern province which continues to put the needs of citizens at the centre of service delivery,” said the Premier.