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Status of projects in execution (SOPE) - FY09 : Africa region - Cote d'Ivoire

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Status of Projects in Execution (SOPE) report for FY09 provides information on all International Bank and Rural Development (IBRD)/International Development Association (IDA) projects that were active on June 30, 2009. The report is intended to bridge the gap in information available to the public between the project appraisal document, disclosed after the Bank approves a project, and the implementation completion report, disclosed after the project closes. In addition to the project progress description, the FY09 SOPE report contains project level comparisons of disbursement estimates and actual disbursements, and a table showing the loan/credit/grant amount and disbursements to date for all active projects.

Cote d'Ivoire - Distance Learning Center Project

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Ratings for the Distance Learning Center Project for Cote d'Ivoire were as follows: outcomes were satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was low or negligible, the Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and the Borrower performance was satisfactory. Some lessons learned included: as distinct from the Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) center in other countries including Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Uganda and Ethiopia, the Ivory Coast GDLN center (CED-CI) has benefited from a strong and constant support from the government which helped the Development Learning Center (DLC) team achieve the project development objectives. Strong Government support is another key success factor for a GDLN center to become a well recognized and well utilized capacity building facility, since the primary target audience of a GDLN center consists of senior policy makers within the public administration. In Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal, the governments have provided continuous support through the sponsoring of learning activities and the promotion of the center's services across the ministries and the major administrations. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities are an important part of a Learning and Innovation Loan (LIL) initial design. Otherwise, the assessment of the success (or failure) of the pilot cannot be carried out. This is particularly important for project with qualitative indicators which usually require a lot of resources to evaluate.

Cote d'Ivoire - Implementation Completion and Result Report on the Economic Governance and Recovery Grant Project

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Ratings for the Implementation Completion and Result Report on the Economic Governance and Recovery Grant (EGRG) Project for Cote d'Ivoire were as follows: outcomes were satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was satisfactory, Bank performance was satisfactory, and Borrower performance was also satisfactory. Some lessons learned included: given the capacity bottlenecks in the country and the fragile and politically complex post-conflict situation, it is necessary to ensure that a development policy operation is accompanied by appropriately targeted technical assistance to ensure that the commitment and willingness lead to reform results. In this case, the EGRG was supported by Governance and Institutional Development Technical Assistance (TA) Project and a Low-Income Country Under Stress (LICUS) Trust Fund. In such post-conflict situations, it is particularly important to select a focused number of prior actions that are deemed essential to supporting the government's broader reform program. Such selectivity and coordination not only reduces the transaction costs for the government that is burdened by multiple management demands while the capacity is weak, but it also increases the likelihood that such focused actions are implemented and the reform program is moved forward. Given the risks and complexity of this operation in the country's context, close coordination with other development partners has been indispensable to mitigate risks, realize synergies, and improve the leverage in the policy dialogue. Collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was particularly important.

Cote d'Ivoire: World Bank US$50 Million Power Grant Seeks to Improve Post-Crisis Energy System

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:12:09 GMT

Contacts

In Abidjan: Bakary Sanogo

(225 22 40 04 071

bsanogo@worldbank.org

In Washington: Rachel McColgan-Arnold

(202) 473-2588

rmccolgan@worldbank.org

Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, June 09, 2009 – The World Bank approved today a US$50 million grant to enable Cote d’Ivoire to rehabilitate, improve and expand its electricity distribution network and to prepare future transmission network investments as well as to address the institutional reforms needed to improve the poor financial and technical performance of the Ivorian power sector.

Specific areas targeted by the grant to enhance performance of electricity distribution ,as well as the access of low-income citizens to electricity include the greater Abidjan area, Yamoussoukro and Soubré and Guéyo, two secondary cities in the western region .

About 60,000 new household connections are expected to be made under the project, which will also bring about a better quality of supply for around 227,000 existing customers. A revolving fund will be set up to assist low income households obtain a legal connection to the public electricity supply system.

Following Board approval, Country Director for Côte d'Ivoire, Madani M. Tall, said that "This project is timely. It comes at a time when peace is consolidating with strong signals for economic recovery. Power being a strategic fuel for industry, the support the Bank will provide through this project will help and prevent major risks that could impact negatively on the economy as a whole. Specific access financing scheme and better technical performance of the utility expected from this project will definitely help to improve the quality of life of Ivoirians.

The project, the first in the sector since 1998, represents an initial effort to address the serious lack of investment in the sector during the past decade. It will also provide support to the Government to prepare the transmission projects needed to be implemented in the medium term to ensure that the Ivorian power system will be able to meet the recent acceleration in electricity demand.

In addition, the project will provide support to the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to implement its energy policies, particularly those aimed at restoring the financial viability of the electricity sector.

For more information, on the Bank’s work in Cote d’Ivoire, please visit:

http://www.worldbank.org/cotedivoire

For more information on the project, please visit:

Urgent Electricity Rehabilitation Project

Cote d’Ivoire: Urgent Electricity Rehabilitation Project

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:25:30 GMT

WASHINGTON, June 9, 2009 - The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved the following project:

IDA Grant: US$50 million equivalent

Project ID: P112573

Project Description: The Urgent Electricity Rehabilitation Project for Cote d’Ivoire aims to help improve the availability, reliability, efficiency, and financial viability of electricity supply in Cote d'Ivoire. There are three components to the project. The first component of the project is distribution network rehabilitation and expansion, this component will address the lack of regular maintenance over the last ten years and it includes rehabilitation and upgrading of medium and low voltage distribution equipment and facilities. The second component of the project is preparatory activities for the future transmission network investments, this component will provide resources to finance the consulting expertise required to carry out feasibility and environmental impact assessment studies as well as bidding documents for the projects needed to restructure and upgrade the high voltage (HV) network. The third component of the project is project oversight and institutional support, this component will provide funds for a diverse program of technical assistance, training, studies, and a contribution to revolving fund to pre-finance electricity hookup charges for low income households.

Media Contact:

Rachel Mccolgan

(202) 458-5299

rmccolgan@worldbank.org

For more project information, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64312881&piPK=64302848&theSitePK=40941&Projectid=P112573

Cote d'Ivoire - Urgent Electricity Rehabilitation Project

Mon, 11 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The development objective of the Urgent Electricity Rehabilitation Project is help to improve the availability, reliability, efficiency, and financial viability of electricity supply in Cote d'Ivoire. There are three components to the project. The first component of the project is distribution network rehabilitation and expansion, this component will address the lack of regular maintenance over the last ten years and it includes rehabilitation and upgrading of medium and low voltage distribution equipment and facilities. The second component of the project is preparatory activities for the future transmission network investments, this component will provide resources to finance the consulting expertise required to carry out feasibility and environmental impact assessment studies as well as bidding documents for the projects needed to restructure and upgrade the high voltage (HV) network. The third component of the project is project oversight and institutional support, this component will provide funds for a diverse program of technical assistance, training, studies, and a contribution to revolving fund to pre-finance electricity hookup charges for low income households.

Cote d'Ivoire - Emergency Electricity Rehabilitation Project : procurement plan

Mon, 11 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Cote d’Ivoire: Protected Area Project

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:46:40 GMT

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2009 - The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved the following project:

Cote d’Ivoire: Protected Area Project

GEF Trust Fund Grant: US$2.54 million

Project Description: The Protected Area Project in Cote d’Ivoire will improve the sustainable management of the fauna and habitat of the Comoe National Park. The Comoé National Park is a national park in North-Eastern Côte d'Ivoire in the Ivoirian Zanzan region. The park was initially added as a World Heritage Site due to the diversity of plant life present around the Comoé River, including pristine patches of tropical rain forest that are usually only found further south. As a well-eroded plain between two large rivers, the park is home to soils and a moisture regime suitable to a richer biodiversity than surrounding areas. In 2003 due to a lack of proper management, it was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger due to poaching and over-grazing.

Media Contact

Rachel McColgan-Arnold

(202) 458-5299

rmccolgan@worldbank.org

For more project information, please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/CDIVOIREEXTN/0,,menuPK:382613~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:382607,00.html

Cote d'Ivoire: Second Economic Governance and Recovery Grant

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:33:59 GMT

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2009 - The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IDA Grant: SDR 96.4 million (US$150 million equivalent)

Project Description: The operation will promote growth and achieve sustainable reductions in poverty. Specifically, it will: (i) support government-owned reforms to improve governance, transparency, and efficiency in public expenditure management and control; and (ii) help enhance governance and efficiency in the energy, cocoa, and financial sectors.

Media Contact

Rachel McColgan-Arnold

(202) 473-2588

rmccolgan@worldbank.org

For more project information, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P112368

World Bank Approves US$150 Million Grant to Support Côte d'Ivoire’s Economic Recovery and Governance Program

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:15:24 GMT

Contacts:

In Washington: Rachel Mccolgan-Arnold

(202) 458 5299

rmccolgan@worldbank.org

In Abidjan: Bakary Sanago

225 - 22 400 407

bsanago@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 31, 2009 -- The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$150 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) to support the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire’s program to strengthen economic governance and recovery. The grant was approved as Directors also agreed that the country qualifies for debt relief under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and discussed the Government’s first full Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).

The key objective of the Second Economic Governance and Recovery Grant (EGRG II) is to support government reforms to improve governance, transparency and efficiency in public finance management as well as advance structural reforms aimed at strengthening governance and transparency in key sectors. Specifically, it will focus on restoring the normal budget cycle and strengthening budget preparation, execution, controls and accountability, and improving governance and efficiency in the energy, cocoa, and financial sectors.

These priorities are also reflected in the Government’s PRSP, which was also discussed by Directors today, and which outlines the country’s development objectives for 2009-2015 to achieve four outcomes: (i) re-establish the foundations of the Republic; (ii) transform Côte d’Ivoire into an emerging economy; (iii) ensure social well-being for all; and (iv) become a dynamic actor on the regional and international scene.

“Our support to Cote d’Ivoire will help implement the Government’s strategy to maintain stability, restore growth and reduce poverty,” said Mr. Madani M. Tall, the World Bank Country Director for Côte d'Ivoire. “This support also reflects the progress that the Government has made to strengthen economic governance at a time when it is also grappling with a crisis recovery program, organizing elections, responding to the needs and expectations of a country that has suffered for many years, and mitigating the potential impact of the global financial crisis. We feel it is important that development partners continue to work together to help the authorities adhere to the reform program and PRSP priorities in these difficult times, as these programs are critical for restoring private sector confidence and Government’s ability to foster economic growth and improve living standards for the people of Côte d'Ivoire."

The Government has already taken several important steps to improve governance and transparency in key sectors of the economy. It has moved quickly to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, creating a National EITI Committee to begin implementation. Three external audits of the oil and gas and electricity sectors have been completed and discussed in national workshops. The Government plans to conduct external audits of the cocoa sector’s four entities. Quarterly reports on cocoa and oil exports and the revenues received are now published on the Ministry of Finance website. The Government has confirmed its commitment to satisfy all the reform objectives required to meet the HIPC completion point, as well as additional reforms supported by the EGRG II. Also, the Government has discussed with development partners (including the Bank, IMF, European Commission and AfDB) and adopted a medium term Public Financial Management action plan as a result of the recommendations of a Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review (PEMFAR) completed in 2008 under the Bank’s leadership.

On April 1, 2008, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved a grant for US$308 million to Côte d’Ivoire to clear its arrears dating from 2004 to the World Bank Group and provided US$35 million in budget support (this was provided through the first Economic Governance and Recovery Grant, EGRG I). The operation cleared the way for the Bank to fully reengage in Cote d’Ivoire.

The grant approved today for budget support is closely coordinated with technical assistance provided to the Government under the IDA Governance and Institutional Development Grant (US$13 million) approved in June 2008 to help build capacity to implement the reform program. It also supports reforms that are part of the Enhanced HIPC Initiative program and has been coordinated with AfDB and IMF support to Cote d’Ivoire.

For more information, on the Bank’s work in Cote d’Ivoire, please visit:

http://www.worldbank.org/cotedivoire

Côte d'Ivoire Reaches Decision Point Under the Enhanced HIPC Debt Relief Initiative

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:42:16 GMT

Contacts:

In Washington: Rachel Mccolgan-Arnold

(202) 458 5299

rmccolgan@worldbank.org

In Abidjan: Bakary Sanago

225 - 22 400 407

bsanago@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 31, 2009 -- The World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have agreed that the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire qualifies for debt relief under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, enabling it to reach the decision point under the Initiative. Côte d'Ivoire becomes the 35th country to reach its decision point.

Côte d'Ivoire will receive interim debt relief from certain creditors, but in order to qualify for irrevocable debt relief at the completion point, Côte d'Ivoire will be implementing a broad set of reforms. In particular, Côte d'Ivoire has adopted a Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) in 2009 and has established a track record of policy performance under the economic programs supported by the IMF's Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance (EPCA). In order to reach the completion point, Côte d’Ivoire will have to implement the PRS for at least one year and maintain macroeconomic stability as evidenced by satisfactory performance under the economic program supported by an arrangement under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). The country will also have to implement the floating completion point triggers, which cover key structural and social reforms, including in the areas of public finance management, debt management, and governance.

Mr. Madani M. Tall, the World Bank Country Director for Côte d'Ivoire, said: "We are pleased that Côte d'Ivoire has reached the Decision Point of the HIPC initiative. We expect Côte d'Ivoire to rapidly meet the requirements for the Completion Point so as to benefit from the full debt relief program that will free up resources to finance essential spending in social sectors. Under the HIPC program, Côte d'Ivoire is continuing its commitment to improve governance, foster transparency in public finance and debt management, accelerate reforms in the energy and cocoa/coffee sectors, and strengthen social programs, as reflected in the Completion Point triggers. These reforms are critical for fostering increased economic growth and improved living standards in Côte d'Ivoire."

In addition to HIPC debt relief, Côte d'Ivoire will access relief under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) when it reaches the HIPC completion point. This will further increase the resources available to the government in order to reduce poverty.

Mr. John Lipsky, IMF First Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair of the IMF Executive Board, said: “Côte d'Ivoire has fulfilled the requirements to reach the decision point under the Enhanced HIPC Initiative. Côte d'Ivoire could reach the HIPC Initiative completion point, following satisfactory performance under the IMF-supported program, implementation of the Poverty reduction strategy for at least one year, and implementation of proposed measures in public finance management, the social sectors, debt management and governance, at which point, Côte d'Ivoire would also qualify for debt relief under Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative. Côte d'Ivoire also qualifies for interim debt relief in the period between the decision and completion points, in line with existing HIPC initiative guidelines.

Mr. Arend Kouwenaar, IMF Mission Chief for Côte d'Ivoire, said: “After more than a decade of civil strife and economic hardship, Côte d'Ivoire is in the process of economic recovery and political normalization. Despite the adverse impact of the global economic downturn, performance under the programs supported by the IMF’s EPCA has been broadly satisfactory. While there have been some important slippages related to large public works, Côte d'Ivoire has kept fiscal policies broadly in check. Despite a difficult post-conflict situation, it has undertaken important public finance management reforms to reach the Decision Point for debt relief under the HIPC Initiative. Prudent macroeconomic policies, more transparent public finance management, and further improved governance in the handling of public resources will be critical for achieving debt sustainability and sustained growth while creating space for pro-poor and pro-growth spending.”

Specifics of the Debt Relief Operation

• Côte d'Ivoire's public and publicly guaranteed external debt was estimated at US$14.3 billion in nominal terms as of end-December 2007, equivalent to US$12.8 billion in net present value (NPV) terms.²

• Debt relief under the enhanced HIPC Initiative is estimated at US$3.0 billion in NPV terms, equivalent to a 23.6 percent reduction of its debt after traditional debt relief mechanisms. Upon reaching the HIPC completion point, Côte d'Ivoire would also access MDRI debt relief from IDA, the AfDF, and the IMF, projected at about US$1, 692.6 million, US$311.6 million, and US$9.3 million, respectively.

• Côte d'Ivoire has already received about half of its estimated HIPC debt relief through past debt reschedulings and concessional arrears clearance operations.

• The combination of traditional debt relief, HIPC debt relief, MDRI relief, and additional bilateral relief beyond HIPC would bring the NPV of debt to 75 percent of fiscal revenues in 2011, compared to 327 percent in 2007.

Note to Editors:

Côte d'Ivoire’s gross national income (GNI) per capita was US$960 in 2007. The period of political instability and civil strife have resulted in an economic decline that has reduced living standards and increased poverty. Real per capita GDP has fallen by 15 percent in 2000-2006. Poverty incidence has increased significantly from 38.2 percent in 2002 to 48.9 percent in 2008. In 2007, the country was ranked 166th (out of 177 countries) in the UN Development Index. In 1999, it was ranked 154^th out of 174.

The HIPC Initiative

Deeper and Broader Relief. External debt thresholds were lowered from the original framework. As a result, more countries have become eligible for debt relief and some countries have become eligible for greater relief.

Faster Relief. A number of creditors began to provide interim debt relief immediately at the "decision point." Also, the new framework permitted countries to reach the "completion point" faster; and

Stronger Link Between Debt Relief and Poverty Reduction. Freed resources were to be used to support poverty reduction strategies developed by national governments through a broad consultative process.

To date, 35 HIPC countries have reached their decision points, of which 24 have reached completion point.

Call for Action to Mitigate Effects of the Financial Crisis on Africa

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:38:43 GMT

Contacts:
In Addis Ababa: Gelila Woodeneh: 1 (251) 62 77 00
gwoodeneh@worldbank.org
In Washington, DC: Herbert Boh: (1) 202 473- 3548
hboh@worldbank.org

ADDIS ABABA, February 4, 2009 – African economies, which were on the verge of turning the corner following more than a decade of faster and steadier economic growth, now desperately need new funding to mitigate contagion from the global financial crisis, the World Bank said Tuesday.

“We call on rich countries to keep Africa in mind as they design programs to help their economies weather the financial crisis,” the World Bank’s Vice-President for the Africa Region, Obiageli Ezekwesili, said during a video press conference from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she was attending the African Union summit.

Connected via video to journalists in 21 other African capitals, Ezekwesili said it was crucial for wealthier nations not to focus on “insular” domestic responses to the crisis. She reiterated a call made earlier by World Bank President Robert Zoellick for donor countries to devote 0.7 percent of the amount of their stimulus packages to a Vulnerability Fund for Africa.

She explained that the Fund would direct spending to projects that are urgently needed to avert the growing unemployment, now building across Africa, as a result of the closure of mining operations, the suspension or cancellation of projects in sectors hardest-hit by a reversal of private capital flows, and tighter public budgets, the fall in commodity prices, and the shrinking of revenue from tourism and remittances.

The Fund would also finance safety net programs, attending to the basic needs of the poorest of the poor: health, education, school feeding projects, basic inputs for farmers, etc. It would help sustain the flow of credit to small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the engines of growth, job and wealth creation.

The Fund, which the World Bank is asking the G20 summit expected to hold in London next April 2 to help set up, would support investments in infrastructure projects that can build a foundation for future productivity and growth in Africa and other poor countries.

To sustain support for aid and the kind of fresh funding proposed under the Vulnerability Fund, Ezekwesili urged African governments to stay the course of public sector reforms; helping to build more capable states; train and retain competent civil servants who demonstrate integrity and tackle inefficiencies in state bureaucracies.

She called on African governments to improve the efficiency of public expenditures, pointing to the need to scrap subsidies that benefit those Africans who do not need them, for those that are better targeted in favor of the poor. A staggering one half of Africa’s US$40 billion annual financing gap for much-needed infrastructure could be closed by improving the efficiency in the way the public service functions.

She urged resource-rich countries, to improve adherence to transparency and accountability mechanisms; to ensure that revenue from natural resources are invested in sustainable poverty alleviation programs; to promote pro-poor growth and to diversify their economies beyond non-renewable sources of wealth.

“Countries like Zambia and other mineral-rich African nations must articulate a development strategy and make policy choices that would guarantee prosperity for ‘a Zambia without copper’,” the World Bank Vice President said, in reply to a question from a Lusaka-based journalist. She said citizens’ groups, the media and parliaments must all play more active roles in holding governments and donors accountable.

“The citizens of Africa are the continent’s most valuable asset,” Ezekwesili said, stressing the importance of tertiary education in building Africa’s skills to compete in a truly globalized economy. She said education, innovation and the technological leap-frogging offered by ICTs (information and communications technology) would help those African economies that invest in them to build the knowledge economy of the future.

“Those who can pay should pay but governments should provide scholarships and other forms of assistance to ensure that poor students who deserve to can attend university,” Ezekwesili said, in response to a question on tertiary education in Tanzania.

She acknowledged the need for governments to stick only to those things they do best – allowing space for the private sector to thrive in what businesses do.

“Governments cannot abandon their regulatory role, especially when it comes to ensuring that their financial sectors work efficiently,” Ezekwesili said.

Some analysts have blamed ineffective regulatory mechanisms for the current global financial crisis.

Initially underestimated, contagion from what started as a crisis in the US subprime mortgage sector, poses a real threat of rolling back gains in poverty alleviation in Africa that had been fuelled by healthy growth rates ranging from 5.9 percent to 8.1 percent for about 65 percent of Africa’s population during 1997-2007. Although still fragile, that growth had clearly broken with a past marked by the economic collapse of the decade 1975-1985 and the stagnation experienced in 1985-1995. Ensuring that Africa also benefits from initiatives to stimulate economies in the North would help restore that growth and return Africa and the world to a path of prosperity.

For more information about the work of the World Bank in Africa, visit:
www.worldbank.org/afr

Côte d’Ivoire Eligible For Assistance Under The Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:23:41 GMT

Contacts:
In Washington: Rachel Mccolgan-Arnold
(202) 458 5299
rmccolgan@worldbank.org
In Abidjan: Bakary Sanago
225 - 22 400 407
bsanago@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, December 22, 2008—The Executive Boards of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have deemed, based on a preliminary assessment, that Côte d’Ivoire is eligible for assistance under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.

To qualify for debt relief under the HIPC Initiative at the decision point, Côte d’Ivoire will need to take the following actions: continue satisfactory performance under the current Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance (EPCA) Program; reach understandings on appropriate completion point triggers pertaining to key economic, governance, and structural reforms that would support development in Côte d’Ivoire; put in place a poverty reduction strategy; and clear the arrears to multilateral creditors, or reach agreements with them on a strategy for arrears clearance.

In particular, the Executive Directors of the World Bank and the IMF have stressed the importance of implementing remedial measures regarding recent fiscal slippages related to extra-budgetary expenditure, including a full and transparent accounting for such expenditures in the budget, and to avoid slippages in the future.

On reaching the completion point under the HIPC initiative, Côte d’Ivoire would qualify for unconditional debt relief under the HIPC Initiative. It would also qualify for Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) debt relief from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), and the African Development Fund (AfDF), together with beyond-HIPC assistance from the IMF.

Following the World Bank Executive Board discussion on December 16, 2008, Country Director for Cote d’Ivoire, Madani Tall, said “"This will help generate greater fiscal space for the country to invest in much needed social services, notably in health, education and rural development. It will also help strengthen the country's efforts to consolidate peace and renewal."

Following the IMF Executive Board discussion on December 12, 2008, John Lipsky, First Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair said: “Côte d’Ivoire is potentially eligible for debt relief under the Enhanced HIPC Initiative and could reach the decision point under the HIPC Initiative in the coming months, together with the approval of a Fund-supported program under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility.

The authorities have made progress in implementing economic reforms. They are encouraged to strengthen fiscal performance, particularly by curtailing extra budgetary expenditure. The authorities have also cleared arrears to the World Bank, and expect to fully clear arrears to the African Development Bank in the near future. They are taking steps to regularize relations with remaining multilateral, bilateral, and commercial creditors.”

* * *

The HIPC Initiative

In 1996, the World Bank and IMF launched the HIPC Initiative to create a framework in which all creditors, including multilateral creditors, can provide debt relief to the world's poorest and most heavily indebted countries, and thereby reduce the constraints on economic growth and poverty reduction imposed by the debt-service burdens in these countries. The Initiative was modified in 1999 to provide three key enhancements:
Deeper and Broader Relief. External debt thresholds were lowered from the original framework. As a result, more countries have become eligible for debt relief and some countries have become eligible for greater relief;
Faster Relief. A number of creditors began to provide interim debt relief immediately at the "decision point." Also, the new framework permitted countries to reach the "completion point" faster; and
Stronger Link Between Debt Relief and Poverty Reduction. Freed resources were to be used to support poverty reduction strategies developed by national governments through a broad consultative process.
To date, thirty five countries have reached their decision points under the enhanced HIPC initiative, of which twenty three have reached the completion point.

Consultations on the Bank Web Site

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:37:38 GMT

Dear reader,

A few years ago, the World Bank’s Web site was noted as a leader among development organizations’ websites. As technology has rapidly advanced and user expectations evolved, our Web site too needs to change and adapt.

You come to our Web site because you are looking for the latest information on development. Our project information, data and research assist you in tackling your challenges or keeping up on the Bank’s activities.

Now we’re catching up. We are revamping our Web site and expanding our online capabilities to better satisfy our business needs and meet audience demands.

We’re examining all aspects of the site—content, technology, business needs and audience demands—to figure out what needs to stay, be improved or be removed.

This is a complex undertaking. We are currently gathering information to determine requirements for our future site.

Through our open online consultation, we are looking for comments from anyone who wishes to discuss their information needs and any difficulties they encounter with the site. The online consultation period ends on December 31, 2008.

All feedback we receive will inform the future design and functionality of the Web site by informing Bank management on audience needs.

Our ultimate goal is to make the Web site better support the institution’s mission of fighting global poverty and helping countries develop.

Your feedback will bring us closer to this goal.

Thank you,

Angie Gentile
Managing Editor, www.worldbank.org

Global food and fuel crisis will increase malnourished by 44 million

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:30:00 GMT

Contacts:
In Washington :Carl Hanlon 202-473-8087; chanlon@worldbank.org;
Philip Hay 202-473-1796
phay@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, October 8, 2008 – High food and fuel prices will increase the number of malnourished people around the world in 2008 by 44 million to reach a total of 967 million, a report from the World Bank says.

While food and fuel price increases may have moderated in recent months, prices remain much higher than previous years and show few signs of declining significantly, according to the report entitled “Rising food and fuel prices: addressing the risks to future generations”. Poor families around the world are being pushed to the brink of survival, causing irreparable damage to the health of millions of children. As families cut back on spending, there are also grave risks for the educational performance of poor children.

“While people in the developed world are focused on the financial crisis, many forget that a human crisis is rapidly unfolding in developing countries. It is pushing poor people to the brink of survival,” said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. “The financial crisis will only make it more difficult for developing countries to protect their most vulnerable people from the impact of rising food and fuel costs.”

The report, due to be presented on Sunday to the Development Committee at the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF, says the food and fuel crisis could have long term effects on poor people and countries. Malnourished children cannot develop into healthy adults and become productive members of society who can contribute to the growth needed to lift themselves and their country out of poverty.

The report says priority should be given to a series of targeted measures. These include:

Making existing targeted cash (or near cash) transfer programs more generous;
Getting nutrition to infants and pregnant women;
expanding so-called ”in-kind” food distribution programs including school feeding and the distribution of fortified calorically dense food;
using fee waivers, lifeline-pricing and other forms of targeted subsidies for poor users/consumers; and
introducing additional measures to prevent children from dropping out of school, such as fee waivers, subsidies for school inputs, or cash transfers.

The report also argues that allocating the necessary amount of budget to finance an expansion of safety net programs may require pruning less-priority spending in other areas. But it notes that well-designed safety net programs do not have to be prohibitively expensive to be effective. Some of the most successful programs in the world cost well under 1 percent of Gross Domestic Product. Moreover, investing in safety net programs now will give governments new tools to address not just the current crisis, but future ones as well.

In May, the World Bank launched a $1.2 billion rapid financing facility to help poor countries cope with the food crisis. Since then, around US$850 million has been committed to finance seeds, plantings, and feeding programs. In April, Zoellick called for a New Deal for Global Food Policy that included short, medium and long-term measures to provide immediate help to poor people and farmers while increasing food production.

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For more information on the Bank's work in nutrition, please visit: www.worldbank.org/nutrition

and for more on social safety nets, click here: www.worldbank.org/safetynets

Bank and Development Partners Support Europe-based African Diaspora Business Ventures

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:59:17 GMT

Contacts

In Brussels: Veronique Jacobs 32-2-552-0042

vjacobs@worldbank.org;

In Washington: Eric Chinje 202 458 8418

echinje@worldbank.org

BRUSSELS, June 26, 2008 – The first Development Marketplace for the African Diaspora in Europe (D-MADE) has ended in Brussels with a total jury award of close to a million dollars for sixteen investment projects in Africa. The winning projects will be implemented in 11 African countries, including Mali (4), Cote d'Ivoire (2) Benin (2) and one each for Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

The winners were selected from a group of 68 finalists who presented projects that a 24-person jury deemed innovative, sustainable, replicable and based on sound business principles. The sixteen winners currently live in seven European countries: Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The D-MADE initiative was launched in 2007 to allow entrepreneurs from the African diaspora in Europe to participate in the development of their countries. Over 500 business proposals were submitted for consideration, with sixty-eight of them shortlisted for the second round of assessment.

A knowledge exchange forum which preceded the awards event provided a platform for D-MADE promoters, financial institutions and business development service providers to explore partnerships and business opportunities for the D-MADE finalists.

The projects ranged from the processing of raw cashew nuts for export in Ghana to introducing new technologies to remote rural areas for use in medical situations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"The fantastic energy and drive generated by this diaspora has to be tapped and supported," said Michel Wormser, Africa Region Director on behalf of Vice-President Obiageli Ezekwesili. "We need to partner with these communities to learn from their expertise and to encourage the entrepreneurship and creativity of their members."

Rome-based Gary Mamadou Tounkara of Mali presented a winning project to transform and develop a range of products from shea butter. "We will work to improve the economic conditions of rural women in the Sahel region who heavily rely on the extraction of shea butter as a source of revenue," he said. “Kariplus” will help in the production and marketing of a variety of shea butter products in the local and global markets.

Building on their experiences in the Netherlands, Ethiopian brothers Redwan and Elias Haroon developed a project to cultivate and market vegetables in the Greta Rift Valley, using production and irrigation technologies that are still unused in that region.

A second winning proposal from the Netherlands also focused on agriculture and came from Cameroonian-born Charles Zama who plans to work with a network of five thousand households to cultivate the jatropha plant from which oils will be extracted and bio-fuels produced. "Cameroon was one of the countries with the highest number of shortlisted projects. I am glad I won this one for my country," he said, beaming with satisfaction.

France-based Dr. Marianne Branco of Benin won for a project on hospital hygiene and the treatment of biomedical waste while her Switzerland-based countryman, Zinde Charles Zannou got the nod from the jury for his mobile "Toi Toi" toilets project which, he believes, will transform hygienic conditions in one of West Africa's largest open markets, the Dantokpa market in Cotonou.

In expressing their gratitude to the D-MADE promoters, the participants expressed hope for more development marketplaces for the African diaspora in Europe, emphasizing the difficulties entrepreneurs have in accessing financing, advice and technical assistance for micro and small projects in Africa.

Support for D-MADE came from the Belgian Development Cooperation, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the French Ministry of Immigration and Development Partnership, the French Development Agency, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Brussels Airlines, which sponsored the travel of the finalists and jurors. Their representatives underscored the fact that D-MADE had unleashed an innovative way to dialogue with a group of migrants who genuinely care about Africa and who are willing to put their personal time, money and energy into supporting the continent's development.

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For more information about the World Bank in Sub-Saharan Africa, please visit:

www.worldbank.org/afr

For more information about the DMADE initiative please visit:

http://www.dmade.org/

World Bank Intensifies Efforts in Côte d’Ivoire with Three New Emergency Projects for Total Amount of US$ 127 Million in the Infrastructure, HIV-AIDS and Economic Governance Sectors

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:24:24 GMT

Contacts

In Washington: Herbert Boh (202) 473 3548

hboh@worldbank.org

In Abidjan: Bakary Sanogo (225) 22 40 04 07

Mobile: (225) 07 09 98 42

bsanogo@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON. June 12, 2008 – The Board of Directors of the World Bank has approved three grants amounting to a total of US$127 million for funding urban infrastructure, HIV/AIDS, and economic governance projects with a view to accelerating crisis recovery and post-conflict reconstruction efforts of Côte d’Ivoire. These operations, which herald new commitment of the World Bank in the country, follow the approval, in April 2008, of a grant of US$308 million for economic governance and recovery.

According to Ms. Antonella Bassani, Acting World Bank Country Director for Côte d’Ivoire, “this additional support from the World Bank is the expression of our institution’s commitment to assist Côte d’Ivoire to address the many reconstruction challenges and especially assist populations most affected by the crisis to have access to basic social services like water, sanitation, and health care”.

The Emergency Urban Infrastructure Project (US$94 million) aims at improving the quality of urban life in Abidjan and Bouaké. It comprises, among other components, water supply, sanitation, solid waste management, and rehabilitation of roads.

The Emergency Multilateral HIV/AIDS Control Project (US$20 million) seeks to achieve two main objectives: a) supporting the measures taken by Côte d’Ivoire to control the pandemic by increasing access to prevention services for the vulnerable groups and high-risk groups like women, the youth and commercial sex workers; b) improving access to treatment, care and support services for persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, including orphans and vulnerable children.

The Governance and Institutional Development Support Project (US$13 million) aims at assisting the Ivorian Government to implement reforms in the three key sectors of the economy, namelymanagement of public finance and procurement systems, cocoa-coffee and petroleum sectors. The objective is to promote application of the principles of good governance in the management of public resources and the national economy.

For Mr. Daniel Sellen, Acting Country Manager of the World Bank Office in Côte d’Ivoire, “these three grants are targeted at strategic sectors selected in partnership with the Government. Improvements in governance, HIV/AIDS control and infrastructure development are expected to have broad-based impacts on poverty reduction”.

The World Bank will work in close collaboration with other development partners, notably the European Commission, for the infrastructure project and the Global Fund and President Bush’s Initiative for the HIV/AIDS project. Besides, concerning the governance project, the Bank’s support to the key sectors of government spending, coffee-cocoa and oil will be vital to Côte d’Ivoire in the framework of the debt relief process.

Apart from these new projects, four other projects in the education, rural development, and transport sectors will be reactivated in the next few weeks. These projects, which were suspended in November 2004 following the non payment of debt arrears owed to the World Bank, are estimated at a total amount of US$104 million.

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For more information on the World Bank in sub-Saharan Africa visit: www.worldbank.org/afr

For further information on activities of the World Bank in Côte d’Ivoire, visit: http://www.worldbank.org/cotedivoire

For more information about these projects visit:http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=382607&menuPK=382641&Projectid=P110020

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=382607&menuPK=382641&Projectid=P071631

Cote d’Ivoire: Emergency Multi-Sector HIV/AIDS Project

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:14:45 GMT

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2008- The following projects was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IDA Grant: US$ 20 million

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Emergency Multi-Sector HIV/AIDS Project aims at supporting the Government of Cote d’Ivoire’s response to the pandemic by: (a) Strengthening access to and increased utilization of prevention services among vulnerable and high risk groups (such as women, youth, commercial sex workers, personnel of line ministries); (b) Improving access and utilization of treatment and care services for HIV/AIDS infected and affected persons, notably the persons living with HIV/AIDS (including PLWHA and OVC).

For more information, please call Aby Toure at (202) 473-8302 or e-mail here at akonate@worldbank.org

For more information on Cote d’Ivoire, please visit: www.worldbank.org/cotedivoire

Cote d’Ivoire: Governance and Institutional Development Grant

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:13:40 GMT

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2008- The following projects was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IDA Grant: US$ 13 million

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Governance and Institutional Development Grant aims to contribute to Government of Cote d’Ivoire’s capacity to: (i) enhance efficiency and transparency in the use of public resources; (ii) manage the development of its hydrocarbon resources in an environmentally and socially sound and sustainable manner; and (iii) foster governance and efficiency in the cocoa sector.

For more information, please call Aby Toure at (202) 473-8302 or e-mail here at akonate@worldbank.org

For more information on Cote d’Ivoire, please visit: www.worldbank.org/cotedivoire

Cote d’Ivoire: Emergency Urban Infrastructure Project

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:11:38 GMT

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2008- The following projects was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IDA Grant: US$ 94 million

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Emergency Urban Infrastructure Project aims at improving the quality of urban life in Abidjan and Bouaké. It comprises, among other components, water supply, sanitation, solid waste management, and rehabilitation of roads. [something more here?]

For more information, please call Aby Toure at (202) 473-8302 or e-mail here at akonate@worldbank.org

For more project information please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P110020