WASHINGTON, April 28, 2020—The World Bank approved today $273 million in International Development Association (IDA) financing for Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger to facilitate access to services for millions of people, especially women and the poorest segments of society. The West Africa Unique Identification for Regional Integration and Inclusion (WURI) Program will help build the foundational identification systems that are inclusive of all persons in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) territory, irrespective of nationality, citizenship or legal status. The Program will help improve access to services, including safety nets, social registries, health and pension programs, financial and digital inclusion, women and girls’ empowerment, and labor mobility.

Full text available here: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/04/28/togo-benin-burkina-faso-and-niger-join-west-africa-regional-identification-program-to-help-millions-of-people-access-services