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Supporting multi-sector COVID-19 response in Sri Lanka Source:Worldbank A Sri Lankan worker sprays disinfectant on the outside of a bus at a central bus terminal.  STORY HIGHLIGHTS The World Bank reallocated $56 million from ongoing projects into a Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) Pool funding, an emergency response mechanism New mechanism established to provide funding for COVID-19 affected sectors including agriculture, education, ICT, transport, and disaster risk management This example of CERC activation showcases how a country can be quickly assisted to improve disaster responsiveness and support affected population during an emergency In early 2020 when the first COVID-19 wave swept across Sri Lanka, triggering lockdowns, and impacting livelihoods, the World Bank and the government came together to support emergency response actions across multiple hard-hit sectors. The result was the creation of the Contingent Emergency Response Components (CERC) Pool covering key economic sectors of agriculture, education, ICT, transport, and disaster ...