05 HOW THE STATE RESPONDED TO THE COVID – 19 INDUCED CRISIS following directives from the Central Bank. However, many small businesses were unable to have their loans restructured by their creditors, and this left many small businesses on the brink of collapse. This points to the fact that, government’s intervention is still premised on the assumption that financial support to large commercial banks would trickle down into the smaller sections of the economy. This assumption is not correct and is a clear entrenchment of the neo-liberal agenda. Broader responses by the State to drive post-Covid-19 recovery From a macro – perspective government’s economic recovery agenda hinged on sustainable industrialization anchored in the country’s 3rd National Development Plan as a means to foster inclusive growth, employment and wealth creation. To support recovery from the pandemic, government intensified investment in the oil and gas sector. This intervention was detailed within the budget speech for financial year 2021/22 21. The Finance Minister indicated in the budget speech, that government had signed an agreement with Tanzania and the International Oil Companies for the establishment of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline that would now pave the way for commercialization of the 14 sector, and further added that enabling legislation for the oil pipeline would soon be presented to Parliament for consideration. Government highlighted that the country expects to have her first commercial oil exportation in 2025. Government allocated Shs. 49 billion within the national budget to support mineral development interventions. This allocation would go towards the construction of oil roads; finalization of the National Content Policy that prioritises Ugandans as suppliers to the oil and gas industry; construction of facilities for production and transportation of the crude oil; and further licensing of exploration areas to enable discovery of additional petroleum reserves. Research on the Influence of International Financial Institutions on Uganda’s COVID – 19 Recovery Agenda