Burkina Faso | World Bank

Burkina Faso - Agricultural Productivity and Food Security Project

Status of projects in execution (SOPE) - FY09 : Africa region - Burkina Faso

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.

Burkina Faso - Country assistance strategy : chairman's concluding remarks

Burkina Faso - Country assistance strategy for the period FY10-12

This country assistance strategy (CAS) aligns with the Government strategy for growth and sustainable development. It seeks to assist Burkina Faso to begin to transform its economy, support equitable and shared growth and make progress on human development, while providing flexibility to address the impact of the global recession. The global crisis presents an opportunity for Burkina to focus on diversification and stronger agricultural performance and the CAS aims to help transform this opportunity into a reality. The strategy harnesses the Government's commitment to improved governance and enhanced public participation and aims to help improve social service delivery. It adopts new ways of doing business which involve better positioning Burkina's development in a regional context; strengthening analytical support and developing results-focused approaches to the emerging issues of environmental preservation and demography. At the same time, and taking into account the potential impact of the crisis on Burkina Faso, the CAS seeks to support more immediate efforts to address the country's economic and social vulnerabilities and it maintains flexibility for adjustments in the program.

Burkina Faso - Fast Track Initiative Grant for Basic Education Program

The objective of the Basic Education Program Support Grant (BEPSG 1-3) is therefore to provide support to Burkina Faso in reforming basic education as part of implementing phase two of its ten year education sector program (PDDEB II) including policy reforms, institutional strengthening and investments. This PDDEB II will build on achievements from implementation of the first phase, as well as on other operations in post primary education supported by various donors, including International Development Association (IDA). Specifically, the PDDEB II aims to: (i) improve access, equity, and expand coverage of basic education (which includes preschool, lower secondary education, and secondary vocational, as well as literacy programs); (ii) improve quality, efficiency, and relevance of basic education; and (iii) strengthen sector management (fiduciary, administrative, and pedagogic management) and monitoring in the context of decentralization of basic education services. The BEPSG 1-3 series is designed specifically to support introduction of policy reforms to remove constraints that have limited government efforts to develop the sector.

Burkina Faso - Post-Primary Education Project

Ratings for the Post-Primary Education Project for Burkina Faso were as follows: outcomes were satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was moderate, Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and Borrower performance was satisfactory. Some lessons learned included: 1) to obtain job-relevant skills from school enrollment students must first and foremost acquire pertinent and suitably organized knowledge. If secondary education does not impart the necessary knowledge, the labor market may be unable to use the graduates when demand arises; 2) in low-income countries where substantial numbers of students fail to acquire basic skills, application of the available curricula and textbooks may be more important than development of new curricula. New curricula may be in principle desirable, but they should be realistically implement able in low-income classrooms; 3) subsidizing private secondary education may help increase access in countries where secondary education is constrained. Where student demand is high, increasing the availability of private schools may enable the government to concentrate public resources on lower income and underserved groups; and 4) textbooks or systematically reproduced materials are a prerequisite for knowledge management at all levels of education. Their availability should be a policy priority. Without textbooks and training of teachers in their use (particularly where teachers themselves have studied without them), knowledge becomes constricted, and systemic efficiency is low. The cost and availability of Francophone textbooks has been a long-standing problem, for which clear solutions have not emerged.

Burkina Faso - Fast Track Initiative Grant for Basic Education Project

Burkina Faso - Ninth Poverty Reduction Support Credit Program

The Ninth Poverty Reduction Support Credit Program for Burkina Faso operation aims to support the authorities' efforts to cope with the impact of the global economic downturn on the Burkinabe economy through the cotton sector and maintain the momentum of reforms to achieve critical developmental objectives of the PRSP-11. The global crisis is affecting negatively Burkina's growth, threatens the outturn of the coming cotton campaign and risks to reverse the progress the country has made in poverty reduction It is in this challenging context that the operation aims to support a core set of critical actions to: (i) improve the investment climate and promote exports, with a particular focus on actions to save the coming cotton campaign and carry out longer-term reforms to improve the sector's overall competitiveness; (ii) protect access to quality basic services through deepened decentralization; and (iii) maximize the effectiveness of limited fiscal resources available by promoting efficiency, transparency and accountability in the use of public resources through enhanced public financial management. The Ninth Poverty Reduction Support Grant (PRSG-9) will also support export diversification beyond cotton by facilitating trade and small and medium-enterprise investment. In addition, PRSG-9 will support efforts to protect access to quality basic services by further transferring responsibilities and resources to urban municipalities in the education sector and to rural municipalities in the water and sanitation sector, while supporting economic activities and services in urban municipalities. Lastly, PRSG-9 will help increase public spending effectiveness by improving budget transparency, oversight and accountability, including through support for the establishment of the High Authority for State Oversight (ASCE).

Educational and health impacts of two school feeding schemes : evidence from a randomized trial in rural Burkina Faso

This paper uses a prospective randomized trial to assess the impact of two school feeding schemes on health and education outcomes for children from low-income households in northern rural Burkina Faso. The two school feeding programs under consideration are, on the one hand, school meals where students are provided with lunch each school day, and, on the other hand, take-home rations that provide girls with 10 kg of cereal flour each month, conditional on 90 percent attendance rate. After running for one academic year, both programs increased girls enrollment by 5 to 6 percentage points. While there was no observable significant impact on raw scores in mathematics, the time-adjusted scores in mathematics improved slightly for girls. The interventions caused absenteeism to increase in households that were low in child labor supply while absenteeism decreased for households that had a relatively large child labor supply, consistent with the labor constraints. Finally, for younger siblings of beneficiaries, aged between 12 and 60 months, take-home rations have increased weight-for-age by .38 standard deviations and weight-for-height by .33 standard deviations. In contrast, school meals did not have any significant impact on the nutrition of younger children.

Burkina Faso - Ninth Poverty Reduction Support Credit Project

Burkina Faso - Development Learning Center Project

Ratings for the Development Learning Center Project for Burkina Faso were as follows: outcomes were moderately unsatisfactory, the risk to development outcome was moderate, the Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and the Borrower performance was also moderately satisfactory. Some lessons learned included: strong support from the government is another key success factor for a Global Development Learning Network (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 other countries, 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. Moreover, a government should not invest into a GDLN center unless it has allocated sufficient budget funds to develop and implement a clear national capacity building strategy. Although participation in a number of GDLN learning events can be sponsored by donor agencies, it is essential that key ministries and governmental agencies have an annual budget for training and capacity building activities, part of which can be organized through the local GDLN center.

Burkina Faso - Urban Water Sector Project

The overall objective of the Urban Water Sector Project for Burkina Faso is to increase access to sustainable water and sanitation services in selected urban areas. There are four components to the project. The first component of the project is urban water supply in four urban centers (Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Koudougou, and Dedougou). This component will focus on water distribution in Ouagadougou, where the production and storage capacity installed under the Ouagadougou Water Supply Project (OWSP) is sufficient for the time being. The other three urban centers require substantial investments in production and water storage in order to improve the continuity of service. The second component of the project is urban sanitation in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. This component will support the implementation of the sanitation strategic plans of Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. The component will thus focus on the most cost-effective means of excreta and wastewater disposal, i.e. on-site facilities. The third component of the project is capacity strengthening to improve the sub-sector's performance and to ensure the efficiency of investments. This component will support the implementation of National Water and Sanitation Agency (Office National de I'Eau et de l 'Assainissement - ONEA's) corporate strategic plan. The fourth component of the project is environmental and social management. This component will support: (a) acquisition of land and indemnification, which will be fully funded by ONEA; (b) the coordination and implementation of the safeguards frameworks, as well as the preparation of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP), and Resettlement Action Plans (RAP); and (c) strengthening the capacities of the entities involved in the implementation of this component.

Burkina Faso - Urban Water Sector Project : procurement plan

Burkina Faso - Agricultural Productivity and Food Security Project

Burkina Faso - First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth Poverty Reduction Support Credit Project

Ratings for the First, Second, and Third Poverty Reduction Credit Project (PRSC) for Burkina Faso are as follows: outcomes of the project were satisfactory, sustainability is likely, and the performance of the Bank and the Borrower was also rated satisfactory. Ratings for the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Poverty Reduction Credit Project for Burkina Faso are as follows: outcomes of the project were satisfactory, sustainability is moderate, and the performance of the Bank and the Borrower was also rated satisfactory. The lessons learned from the report are: 1) PRSCs are useful instruments to help the borrower assume increased responsibility in managing its public resources in an efficient manner, notably by providing more flexibility and predictability; however, there is a risk of complacency and of dependence on continued foreign budget support; 2) issues of attribution are inevitable when the reform programs are supported by several donors; 3) since outcomes are to be assessed after several years, the quality of the relevant statistical data is critical; if insufficient, preparation should include remedial actions, including the selection and definition of baseline data; 4) since reforms are of medium-to long-term nature, early identification of institutional weaknesses and capacity constraints is of paramount importance; and 5) to assess outcome of a medium-term program, it is essential that the different documents of a PRSC series be consistent in content and format, including statistical series and other data.

Burkina Faso - Urban Water Sector Project

Burkina Faso - Agricultural Productivity and Food Security Project

Burkina Faso - Urban Water Sector Project

New Study Shows that Transforming African Infrastructure will require an Additional $31 Billion a Year and Huge Efficiency Gains

2009-11-12T17:00:00.000Z

Contacts:

ICA: Nick Sheppard, tel: +44 1908 337938 or + 44 7724 241214, email: n.sheppard@afdb.org

World Bank, Washington: Francois Gouahinga, tel: +1 202 473 0696, email: fgouahinga@worldbank.org

World Bank, South Africa: Sarwat Hussain, tel +27 73 888 1778, email: shussain@worldbank.org

MIDRAND, South Africa, November 12, 2009 – A study recently conducted in 24 African countries shows that the poor state of infrastructure in Sub Saharan Africa – its electricity, water, roads, and information and communications technology (ICT) – cuts national economic growth by 2 percentage points every year and reduces business productivity by as much as 40 percent.

“Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation” finds that Africa has the weakest infrastructure in the world, but ironically Africans in some countries pay twice as much for basic services as people elsewhere. This study argues that well functioning infrastructure is essential to Africa’s economic performance and that improving inefficiencies and reducing waste could result in major improvements in African’s lives.

The report estimates that US$93 billion are needed annually over the next decade, more than twice what was previously thought. Almost half of this amount is needed to address the continent’s current power supply crisis that is hindering Africa’s growth. The new estimate amounts to roughly 15 percent of the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP), comparable to what China invested in infrastructure over the last decade.

The study found that existing spending on African infrastructure is much higher than previously known, $45 billion a year. Also surprising was the fact that most of this is domestically financed by African tax payers and consumers. The study also found that there is also considerable wastage to address; a number of efficiency improvements could potentially expand the available resources by a further $17 billion.

However, even if major efficiencies are gained there is still a funding gap of $31 billion every year, much of it for power and water infrastructure in fragile states. Relative to the size of their economies, the funding gap is daunting for the region’s low-income countries (who would need to spend an additional 9 percent of their GDP) and particularly for the region’s fragile states (who would need to spend an additional 25 percent of their GDP). Resource-rich countries like Nigeria and Zambia face a more manageable funding gap of 4 percent of GDP. Particularly now with the global financial crisis, investing in African infrastructure is critical for Africa’s future.

“Modern infrastructure is the backbone of an economy and the lack of it inhibits economic growth,” says Obiageli Ezekwesili, World Bank Vice President for the Africa Region. “This report shows that investing more funds without tackling inefficiencies would be like pouring water into a leaking bucket. Africa can plug those leaks through reforms and policy improvements which will serve as a signal to investors that Africa is ready for business.”

The report recommends addressing the $17 billion annual efficiency gap and closing the remaining $31 billion annual funding gap for African infrastructure. Closing the efficiency gap requires improving management of utilities, ensuring adequate maintenance, promoting regional integration, recovering costs while recasting subsidies to enable broader access, and improving allocation and spending of public resources. To close the funding gap a wide range of sources will need, including public budgets, resource rents, local capital markets, private sector and non-OECD finance, as well as traditional donor assistance.

Countries with the greatest infrastructure needs are often the least attractive to investors. Many of the countries in Africa will probably take longer than a decade to catch-up on infrastructure and will probably have to use lower cost technologies. But action is needed urgently, the report argues, and the global financial crisis is underscoring the need for a massive effort to overhaul Africa’s infrastructure.

“Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation” takes a holistic look at four crucial sectors – energy, water, transport, and ICT – that underpin national economies and are critical for reducing poverty in Africa. Prioritizing these sectors, increasing investments, and improving efficiency can help African countries avert the worsening impacts of the financial crisis and begin laying the foundations for future growth as the global economy rebounds.

· Power: Inadequate access to energy is the single largest impediment to economic growth. No country in the world has developed its economy without abundant energy supplies. Chronic power shortages affect 30 Africa countries; the entire installed generation capacity of 48 Sub Saharan African countries is 68 gigawatts, no more than Spain’s, and 25 percent of that capacity is unavailable because of aging plants and poor maintenance. At US$0.18 per kilowatt-hour on average, Africa’s power is expensive to produce by global standards, yet regional trade could significantly lower costs.

· Water: High hydro-climatic variability, inadequate storage, rising demand, and lack of transboundary cooperation undermine the African water sector. Less than 60 percent of Africa’s population has access to drinking water and only a handful of countries are on track to reach the Millennium Development Goals. With more than 60 transboundary rivers in Africa, developing large-scale infrastructure to manage water use and avoid conflicts is a huge challenge. Over the last 40 years, only 4 million hectares of new irrigation have been developed, compared to 25 and 32 million hectares for China and India respectively.

· Transport: Ineffective linkages between different transport modes (air, road, and rail), declining air connectivity, poorly equipped ports, ageing rail networks, and inadequate access to all-season roads are key problems facing Africa’s transport system. Only 40 percent of rural Africans live within two kilometers of an all-season road, compared to some 65 percent in other developing regions. Improving road accessibility in rural areas is critical to raising agricultural productivity across Africa. Limited competition in the trucking industry keeps road freight tariffs unnecessarily high, while red tape along international trade corridors, keeps the movement of freight below 12 kilometers an hour –as fast as a horse and a buggy – even though truck speeds can be 60 km/hour.

· ICT: The number of African mobile phone users has increased from 10 million in 2000 to more than 180 million in 2007. During 1992-2005, private sector investment in ICT infrastructure topped $20 billion but high prices of services remain a problem. In 2007 the average price of prepaid mobile services cost $12.58 a month in Africa, six times the $2 cost in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.

The study – conducted by a partnership of institutions including the African Union Commission, African Development Bank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Infrastructure Consortium for Africa, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, and the World Bank – is one of the most detailed ever undertaken on the African continent. Surveys were conducted among 16 rail operators, 20 road entities, 30 power utilities, 30 ports, 60 airports, 80 water utilities, and over 100 ICT operators, as well as the relevant ministries in 24 countries. The results were derived from detailed analysis of spending needs (based on country-level microeconomic models), fiscal costs (which involved collecting and analysis of new data) and sector performance benchmarks (covering operational and financial aspects as well as the country’s institutional framework).

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The project Fast Track Initiative Grant for Basic Education has changed to Closed

2009-09-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project Fast Track Initiative Grant for Basic Education has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Burkina Faso: Turning the Water on in Burkina Faso's Capital

2009-08-21T16:45:05.000Z

Last Updated: August 2009

Links:
- What is IDA?
- Our Work in Burkina Faso
- Active Projects

More on Burkina Faso:
- Borrowing History
- Data & Statistics
- Research
- Contact Us

The supply of clean drinking water was quickly running out in Burkina Faso’s capital city of Ouagadougou. The problem was that the public water service (The National Water and Sanitation Utility-ONEA), couldn’t keep up with the demands of a surging population. The city’s population had more than doubled between 1985 and 2000. With only 30 percent of the city’s population connected to the water system, the government knew it had to act fast. It had to make more water available to the city’s residents and strengthen the management of its urban water sector to ensure a stable and efficient supply.

- Develop new storage capacity to ensure a steady supply of water.
- Expand coverage by extending secondary and tertiary water distribution networks and by providing connections to low-income households.
- Promote efficiency by strengthening ONEA’s capacity while using a service contract with an international water operator to manage ONEA's commercial, financial, and accounting operations.

Thanks to the project, the number of Ouagadougou residents with household connections to piped water more than tripled in six years, from 300,000 in 2001 to 1,040,000 people in 2007. A full 94 percent of the city’s population1,480,000 peoplenow has access to safe water.

Highlights
- Full-pressure water service is now ensured at all times. In 2001, it was chronically intermittent and weak.
- ONEA’s accounting is in order: the annual financial reports are on time and in accordance with international standards.
- The bill collection ratio has increased from 86 percent in 2001 to 95.4 percent in 2007; and unaccounted-for-water (UFW) was stabilized at 18 percent, which compares well to the best performing water utilities in SSA.
- The financial equilibrium of the urban water sector has been restored, and ONEA is able to recover its operating and maintenance costs, and its cash contribution to the capital expenditure program (Capex) from collected bills.- The cash flow of the sector doubled from CFAF3 billion (US$6 million) in 2001 to CFAF6 billion in 2006 (US$12 million, representing 30 percent of sales).
- There has been a jump in the staff productivity index, which far exceeded the target of 230 connections per employee initially set for 2007 (the figure now stands at 810 connections).
- A 2007 survey of ONEA customers found that 85 percent of them were highly satisfied with their water service.

Of the total project cost of US$269.37, IDA’s contribution was $85.97 million in the form of an IDA credit.

IDA partners in the project were the African Development Bank (AfDB), European Investment Bank (EIB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), OPEC Fund for International Development, ONEA: Office National de l’Eau et de l’Assainissement, Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KFW), Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Kuwait Fund for Arab and Economic Development (KFAED), European Development Fund, French Development Agency (AFD), and the West African Development Bank (WADB).

- While assembling the technical and institutional features of the project, the IDA team addressed social and environmental aspects as well. Drawing on lessons from earlier projects in the region, they found the major risk factors then proposed ways to mitigate them.

- Because of IDA’s long experience in similar multi-donor sector reform operations, its role was critical for the implementation of the sector reform. IDA was able to convene other donors around project preparation and funding, and guarantee the operation’s technical soundness. IDA knowledge was also put to work to ensure that governance and fiduciary issues were addressed.

An IDA-financed $US80 million follow-up operation is under preparation and scheduled for Board approval in May 2009.

In addition, with the support of the international donor community, Burkina Faso has prepared a National Water Supply and Sanitation Program (PN-AEPA) for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Donors (including IDA) will finance the program up to US$240 million over the period 2009–2015. This program will support post-completion operation of this project since IDA and other donors will continue to assist the urban water sector and ONEA until 2015.

The Ouagadougou Water Supply Project (2001–2007)
Project Documents

The project Fast Track Initiative Grant for Basic Education is now in the pipeline.

2009-06-30T04:00:00.000Z

The project Fast Track Initiative Grant for Basic Education is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Poverty Reduction Support Credit (9) has changed to Active

2009-06-27T04:00:00.000Z

The project Poverty Reduction Support Credit (9) has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Poverty Reduction Support Credit (9) is now in the pipeline.

2009-06-03T04:00:00.000Z

The project Poverty Reduction Support Credit (9) is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Urban Water Sector Project has changed to Active

2009-05-30T04:00:00.000Z

The project Urban Water Sector Project has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Burkina Faso: World Bank Provides US$80 Million Grant for Urban Water Sector

2009-05-29T17:57:33.000Z

Contacts:

Ouagadougou:Lionel Yaro (226) 50 49 63 00

snenonene@worldbank.org

Washington: Rachel Mccolgan: 1 + 202-458-8302

rmccolgan@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2009 — The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved an IDA (International Development Association) grant in the amount of US$80 million for Burkina Faso to assist with the Urban Water Sector Project.

The objective of the project is to support improvement and expansion of potable water and sanitation services in the cities of Bobo-Dioulasso, Dédougou, Koudougou, and Ouagadougou.

The operation is a follow on to the project to supply water to the city of Ouagadougou from the Ziga dam, funded by IDA and roughly ten other donors, the success of which, in terms of the impact on the supply rate and sustainable management of the sector, justifies the commitment of technical and financial partners to continue their support with a view to achieving the urban and sanitation MDGs in urban areas.

The IDA grant provided to the Burkinabè Government will be transferred to the National Water and Sanitation Authority (ONEA) based on a bilateral agreement and under acceptable conditions for maintaining the financial equilibrium of the subsector and preserving consumer purchasing power.

Matar Fall, the World Bank Team Leader for the project, states that "the proposed project supports the National Water Supply and Sanitation Program (PN-AEPA) adopted in December 2006 by the Burkinabè Government with a view to achieving the water and sanitation MDGs. It is based on a strategy of facilitating access by disadvantaged population groups to water and sanitation services, through a program that provides shared water service connections and on-site sanitation facilities, thus strengthening the impact of urban water reform and building capacity in the subsector."

The project will be executed over a five-year period and over time, will facilitate direct access to potable water by 527,000 additional individuals, and to appropriate sanitation services by more than 245,000 inhabitants. Later on, this work will be reflected in expanded access rates in Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou:

- In the case of potable water: (i) Bobo-Dioulasso – from 70 percent in 2008 to 94 percent in 2014, and (ii) Ouagadougou - from 90 percent in 2008 to 95 percent in 2014;

- In the case of sanitation: (i) Bobo-Dioulasso – from 22 percent in 2008 to 50 percent in 2014, and (ii) Ouagadougou - from 25 percent in 2008 to 50 percent in 2014.

In addition, close to 120,000 students will benefit from access to water and sanitation services in schools, a situation that will also have a significant impact on hygiene in the area and will lead to behavioral changes.

For more information on the World Bank's work in Sub-Saharan Africa, please visit: www.worldbank.org/afr

For more information on the World Bank's work in Burkina Faso, please visit:
www.worldbank.org/burkinafaso

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Four New Countries Join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Three New Donors Support Implementation through the World Bank

2009-05-18T14:32:13.000Z

Contacts

In Washington:

Mauricio Rios

(202) 458-2458

mrios@worldbank.org;

In Oslo:

Mr Anders Kråkenes

+47 46662888

akrakenes@eiti.org

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2009 – The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Board today announced that it has accepted four new countries as EITI candidates: Albania, Burkina Faso, Mozambique and Zambia. With these four new candidates, 30 countries are now implementing the EITI process, further bolstering EITI as the standard for transparent management of revenues from the oil, gas and mining sectors.

The EITI Board, the global initiative to improve transparency in the extractives sector, held a series of meetings with diverse stakeholders in Washington DC, hosted by the World Bank Group. Ten donor countries and the European Commission currently provide funding to the World Bank-administered EITI Multi-donor Trust Fund (MDTF)—Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and the European Commission. Finland just joined as a donor country, and the United States and Switzerland will be joining the donor group soon. The World Bank has been a supporter of the EITI since the early days, and this Trust Fund provides technical assistance for implementation of the EITI process in developing countries.

During last week a series of EITI related meetings also have been held at World Bank headquarters, including a meeting on improving EITI reporting, on sub-national implementation of the EITI process, and on engagement with civil society.

Somit Varma, World Bank Director for Oil, Gas, and Mining said:

“I am encouraged that more countries from Africa and other regions of the world are joining the EITI process and recognizing the benefits of greater transparency in the extractive industries sector. It is, however, only when countries take full ownership of this voluntary initiative that it can succeed. The World Bank is committed to supporting governments in this effort.”

An important theme at the National Coordinator meeting was planning for EITI Validation, the mechanism for external Quality Assurance of EITI implementation in the country. Twenty-one of the EITI Candidate countries are facing a deadline in March 2010 to complete EITI Validation. The need for support of countries’ efforts to go through the Validation process was reiterated by the EITI Board Chairman, Dr Peter Eigen, who said:

“By committing to the EITI and undergoing an independent EITI Validation, governments and companies demonstrate their commitment to openness, transparency and good governance. It is impressive to see all the efforts in EITI implementing countries to prepare for Validation and meet the EITI standard. The international community recognizes such efforts and supports these governments and their stakeholders in their implementation of the EITI”

Since it was put forward in 2002 the EITI has moved towards becoming the global standard for revenue transparency in the extractive industries. Through implementing the EITI, countries bring together companies, civil society and government representatives to monitor and account for payments being made to governments by extractives companies operating in their country. Countries that have met all of the reporting and operational indicators set out under the EITI guidelines and completed a rigorous validation process are then considered to be EITI Compliant, establishing that a country's revenue reporting standards in its extractive sector have achieved a greater level of transparency.

About the World Bank

The World Bank is a multilateral development institution and one of the world’s largest sources of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Comprised of 185 member governments, its primary focus is to help the world’s poorest people and the poorest countries. The World Bank uses its financial resources, its staff, and extensive experience to help developing countries reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve their quality of life. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org. For more information about the World Bank’s work with the EITI, visit

http://www.worldbank.org/eititf.

About EITI

The EITI is a coalition of governments, companies, civil society groups, investors and international organizations. All these constituencies are represented on the Board, which is chaired by Peter Eigen. The EITI Secretariat is hosted by the Norwegian Government in Oslo and was formally opened on 26 September 2007. For more information, visit: www.eitransparency.org

Background Information

3.5 billion people live in countries rich in oil, gas and minerals. With good governance the exploitation of these resources can generate large revenues to foster growth and reduce poverty. However when governance is weak, it may result in poverty, corruption, and conflict. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) aims to strengthen governance by improving transparency and accountability in the extractives sector. The EITI sets a global standard for companies to publish what they pay and for governments to disclose what they receive.
The 30 countries that are implementing the EITI are: Albania, Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Republic of the Congo, São Tomé e Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Yemen and Zambia.
The 13 Donors supporting (or committed to supporting) the EITI through the Multi-donor Trust Fund administered by the World Bank include: Australia, Belgium, Canada, the European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland (pending), UK, and USA (pending).

World Bank hosts 4th Africa Region Education Capacity Development Workshop ‘Country Leadership and Implementation for Results’ in the EFA-FTI Partnership

2009-04-29T17:58:59.000Z

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2009— The Education for All Fast Track Initiative (EFA-FTI) is a global partnership between donors and developing countries to ensure accelerated progress toward the Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary education. As a contribution to the partnership’s agenda, of which it is a member, the World Bank hosts the 4th Africa Region Education Capacity Development Workshop ‘Country Leadership and Implementation for Results in the EFA-FTI Partnership’, in Dakar, Senegal, May 18-22, 2009, in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Education in charge of Pre-School, Primary and Middle Education.

Previous workshops took place in Cape Town, South Africa, in July 2007; in Tunis, Tunisia, in December 2007; and in the Mauritius, in December 2008, and gathered each of them over 80 participants from countries either preparing or implementing education sector plans within the FTI framework. For this workshop, the fourth in the series, the number of expected participants is also over 80, including 5 senior officials from the Ministry of Education and 2 donor representatives from the following 8 Sub-Saharan African countries: Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Niger, Sudan, and Senegal. Other participants include members of the EFA-FTI Secretariat, staff from headquarters of donor agencies, representatives of the Senegalese Ministry of Education, several resource persons, and World Bank staff. The Minister of Education in charge of Pre-School, Primary, and Middle Education of Senegal will deliver the opening remarks.

According to UNESCO’s Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2009, se veral countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have registered progress between 1999 and 2006. For example, Benin, Madagascar, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zambia saw enrollment rates increase from between 50% and 70% to levels over 80%; Ethiopia, which started from an even lower baseline, has doubled its NER, reaching 71%, thanks to an ambitious school construction program in rural areas, the abolition of school fees, and increased teacher recruitment. Nevertheless, of the thirty-one countries in Sub-Saharan Africa for which data is available, eleven have repletion rates for grades 1 and 2 of more than 20%, and 75% of secondary-school-age children is still not yet enrolled in secondary education; furthermore, eleven out of the twenty-one low income countries for which there is available data spend less than 4% of their GDP in education.

These workshop series aims at fostering country leadership and creating a forum for national teams and donors to interact and share knowledge and experiences in the design, funding, and implementation of sustainable and successful education sector plans which are geared to future progress in the development of quality education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The project Agricultural Productivity and Food Security Project is now in the pipeline.

2009-04-01T04:00:00.000Z

The project Agricultural Productivity and Food Security Project is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Ethiopian Movie Wins Joint World Bank-United Nations Prize at Panafrican Film Festival

2009-03-11T18:20:39.000Z

Contact
In Ouagadougou:
lyaro@worldbank.org

OUAGADOUGOU, March 10, 2009—– The film “Teza,” by Ethiopian filmmaker Haile Gerima won on Friday the special World Bank-United Nations joint prize for taking the fight against poverty to the big screen. His prize was awarded during a ceremony in the Sembène Ousmane conference room of Hôtel Azalai Indépendance at the end of the week-long biannual FESPACO film awards in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso.

The film depicts a scenario in the early 1970s, when Anberber, the movie’s main character, leaves his village of Minzero for Germany, to study. When he comes back to Ethiopia in 1990, he is not the same person; he even says he has come to die! What happened to him through the years? The contemporary realities of Ethiopia are depicted through the adventures of Anberber, his dreams, disillusion, drama, hopes…

The check for the prize – five million CFA francs (US$10,000) — and a trophy were presented by the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Burkina Faso, Babacar Cissé, along with Galina Sotirova, the World Bank Country Manager.

Salome Gerima, sister of the film maker, and also a member of the film production team, received the prize in the midst of thunderous applause. In accepting the award, Gerima said, “I am touched that the jury unanimously selected ‘Teza.’ My happiness is great and I lack words to express it.”

Commenting on the award, Bassirou Sanogo, a well-known cinema critic and member of the jury, noted that “Teza deals with relevance, sound sensitivity and an in-depth approach to the issue of development from the angle of the Millennium Development Goals. It highlights the problems of health, human rights, education, governance and access to social services and food security.”

According to Sotirova, “this first participation by the World Bank in FESPACO is an opportunity to reinforce the dialogue and debate on poverty. It is also a new approach of the Bank to work with civil society and the media, in short to be closer to the broader public. We congratulate the winner of our joint special prize with the UN.”

“Teza” was selected among 23 films competing in the categories of feature film, short film, TV video and documentary at FESPACO. This festival, created in 1969, celebrates its 40 years of existence this year.

Haile Gerima was born in Ethiopia in 1946. He moved to the United States in 1968 where he entered the black filmmakers’ school in Los Angeles. He has been teaching at Howard University in Washington since 1975. His recent films are: “Voyage Imparfait” (1994) and “Une Victoire Africaine” (1999).

World Bank Country Director for Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Ishac Diwan, in congratulating the winner noted, "Coming to Ouaga for this FESPACO has given me more confidence that we can really work with African artistes and other players to promote poverty reduction and development through the creative industries. It was a delight for us from the Bank to participate this first time. We will remain engaged because the creativity and innovation in this industry could be better harnessed for job and wealth creation throughout Africa. Let’s hope that FESPACO and other initiatives will soon help unearth African talents to win prestigious global awards, just like the film Slum Dog Millionaire has done at the Oscars."

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

For more information on the World Bank in Burkina Faso visit: www.worldbank.org/burkinafaso

For more information on FESPACO visit: http://www.fespaco.bf/ or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panafrican_Film_and_Television_Festival_of_Ouagadougou or http://www.france24.com/en/20090307-ouagadougou-prepares-africas-oscar-night

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

2009-02-05T21:38:43.000Z

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

The project Urban Water Sector Project is now in the pipeline.

2009-01-18T05:00:00.000Z

The project Urban Water Sector Project is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Sustainable Wildlife and Biodiversity Management Project has changed to Dropped

2009-01-04T05:00:00.000Z

The project Sustainable Wildlife and Biodiversity Management Project has changed to Dropped. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Poverty Reduction Support Credit (8) has changed to Closed

2008-12-16T05:00:00.000Z

The project Poverty Reduction Support Credit (8) has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The Eighth Poverty Reduction Support Credit Project (PRSC-8) aims to support the acceleration of real growth and the reduction of poverty incidence in Burkina Faso by supporting action to: (i) improve the investment climate and promote exports; (ii) improve access to basic services through deepened decentralization; and (iii) promote efficiency, transparency and accountability in the use of public resources through enhanced public financial management. The measures supported by the PRSC-8 are expected to have a significant positive direct impact on poverty reduction. Specifically, the improvement in the investment climate and the promotion of exports supported by the proposed operation will sustain economic growth. The reforms in public service provision through decentralization will improve access of the poor to education, health, water, and sanitation services, support their greater participation in the growth process and sustain progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The strengthening of public financial management is expected to enhance efficiency, transparency and accountability in public resources use. Such measures will also increase the country's absorption capacity for external resources. Burkina Faso continues to be vulnerable to commodity price fluctuation, further increases in oil and food prices could undermine macroeconomic stability and progress made in poverty reduction. High oil prices drain international reserves and increase petrochemical, electricity and transportation costs with adverse impact on the overall economy. Increased world prices on basic food commodities translate into higher inflation and hurt the poor, particularly in urban centers.

Consultations on the Bank Web Site

2008-12-09T15:37:38.000Z

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

2008-10-08T17:30:00.000Z

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

The project Poverty Reduction Support Credit (8) is now in the pipeline.

2008-09-24T04:00:00.000Z

The project Poverty Reduction Support Credit (8) is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Burkina Faso: Eighth Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC-8)

2008-09-23T21:00:00.000Z

WASHINGTON, September 23, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IDA Credit: US$100 million

TERMS: Maturity = 40 years; Grace= 10years

Project Description: This project, the second of a series of three Poverty Reduction Support Credits, aims to support the acceleration of real growth and the reduction of poverty incidence in Burkina Faso by supporting action to: (i) improve the investment climate and promote exports; (ii) improve access to basic services through deepened decentralization; and (iii) promote efficiency, transparency and accountability in the use of public resources through enhanced public financial management.

Media Contact

Rachel McColgan-Arnold

(202) 458 5299

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=P099010

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Seeds to Fight Food Crisis in Burkina Faso

2008-07-02T19:04:15.000Z

Emergency program ran February to May to help mitigate the harshness of rising food prices
The program distributed 3,500 tons of improved millet, sorghum, maize, beans, and rice seeds to 140,000 households in 302 rural communities

July 2, 2008 —Burkina Faso is a landlocked West African country of 13 million inhabitants with one of the lowest GDPs per capita in the world.

The rise of international commodity prices affected Burkina, breeding discontent and causing riots against what is nicknamed as ‘la vie chere’ (expensive life) in some major cities during February–April this year.

In 2007, other shocks had hit the country, decreasing incomes and posing serious food security risks. They included a short rainy season resulting in low agricultural production, but also severe floods of more 40,000 hectares in 20 provinces, which brought further agricultural losses and put more than 100,000 people, especially children, at nutritional and health risk.

Farmers are happy to receive the improved seeds in time to sow before the first rains

The World Bank has worked quickly with the Government to evaluate the size and impact of the shocks and help the country get through the crisis without reversing recent development trends. From February to May, an emergency program was put in place to help mitigate immediately the harshness of the shocks, especially on the most vulnerable.

The program aims to ensure that children stay in school, the health of vulnerable populations does not deteriorate further, and that poor villagers stand a chance to produce food and feed their families.

3,500 Tons of Seeds Distributed

To launch the 2008 agricultural campaign, the emergency program helped distribute 3,500 tons of improved millet, sorghum, maize, beans, and rice seeds to 140,000 households in 302 rural communities in the country. This support, at a total cost of $5 million, was realized through the restructuring of the Community-Based Rural Development Project (PNGT2).

Ishac Diwan, country director for Burkina Faso, seized the opportunity of his recent visit in late May, at the beginning of the planting season, to participate in the distribution of seeds to poor producers in the two rural communities of Tanghin-Dassouri and Konki Ipala. Each received 11.5 tons of improved seeds. The targeting of households was done by the village councils, taking into account the level of poverty and the impact of flooding.

During the visit, Etienne Kaboré, a director-general at the Agriculture ministry, explained to the farmers how to get maximum yields from the improved seeds. In particular, he urged households to start planting very soon, in order to take advantage the rains.

Targeted Assistance

At the same time, by providing additional financing for three existing projects, the Bank extended support for targeted assistance in other areas:

A scale-up of school feeding programs ($5 million) will cover an additional 200,000 poor children for two years in 15 provinces;
3.5 million meningitis vaccines were purchased ($5 million) and immunization completed in February–March 2008, containing the meningitis outbreak which hit 7 provinces of Burkina Faso earlier in the year;
In the coming months more than 3 million children and pregnant women suffering from severe cases of malnutrition will receive micronutrients such as plumpy’nut, vitamin A, and other supplements within the scaled up nutrition support program ($10 million)

Over the medium- to long-term, Burkina can benefit from the higher food prices by increasing and diversifying its agricultural production. The Bank and the Government are already working to improve the production and post-harvest management of cotton, in addition to the provision of improved cotton seeds and financial assistance to the cotton farmers.

Efforts to diversify agriculture, including by IFC and private sector participation, are being pursued. Finally, a new project supporting a longer term Government strategy for food security is being prepared for launch during the next fiscal year.

Irrigation brings fresh greens to the markets of Ouagadougou and increased incomes for farmers

This effort by the Government, with support from the Bank, to distribute seeds to poor farmers, was highly appreciated by the beneficiaries. Further discussions with the Government are taking place for additional financing to purchase more seeds for the people and to support the rice production in the dry season which starts in October 2008.

Galina Sotirova, the new Bank country manager in Ouagadougou, said to the farmers, “Like the government and people of Burkina Faso, the Bank is playing its role in a joint effort to ensure that agricultural output will rise sharply this year, and that all farmers will be able to compensate for the losses they sustained last season."

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

2008-06-26T19:59:17.000Z

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 Supports Transport Improvements in West African States

2008-06-19T21:15:00.000Z

Contacts

In Washington: Aby Toure (202) 473 8302

akonate@worldbank.org;

In Ouagadougou: Lionel Yaro (226) 50 30 63 36

lyaro@worldbank.org

In Accra: Kofi Tsikata (233-21) 229681 ktsikata@worldbank.org

In Bamako: Moussa Diarra (223) 222 22 83

mdiarra@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2008 – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$190 million regional operation to finance transport and transit improvements in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Mali.

The financing package consists of three International Development Association (IDA) credits¹ of US$70 million to Burkina Faso, a US$80 million to the Republic of Ghana and a US$40 million to the Republic of Mali for a West Africa Transport and Transit Facilitation project.

The three-country project supports the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) transport agenda of trade corridors without borders and barriers, which aims to facilitate trade and promote economic integration in the sub-region. The project also supports the objectives of the first phase (Road Program I) of the Programme d’Actions Communautaire des Infrastructures et du Transport (PACITR) (Community Action Plan for Road Infrastructure and Transport) West Africa Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). The PACITR’s Road Program I is part of a multi-donor effort in the West Africa sub-region to improve transport infrastructure and facilitate trade, transport and transit, funded by the African Development Bank, the European Union and the Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (West African Development Bank), as well as the three governments.

The transport sector in West Africa plays a key role in the economic development of the sub-region and generates about six percent of its Gross Domestic Project (GDP). Transport and transit costs for landlocked countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are up to 50 percent higher than for countries with direct access to the sea. These high transport and transit costs translate into high prices of goods for consumers and loss of external competitiveness.

The project is consistent with the objectives of the World Bank’s RIAS (Regional Integration Assistance Strategy) for West Africa which focuses on the creation of an open, unified, regional economic space, as a means of creating an environment for a more competitive and efficient private sector. It will also help remove formal and informal barriers to intra-regional trade and contribute to increased trade within the sub-region, and between the sub-region and the rest of the world.

The project will improve access by Burkina Faso and Mali to Ghanaian ports, as well as improve port operations and facilitate the efficient movement of traffic along the Tema-Ouagadougou-Bamako road transport corridor. It is also expected to strengthen economic integration of the member countries of the WAEMU/Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc.

“This project recognizes the need for regional approaches in a part of Africa where landlocked economies are disadvantaged by costly and unreliable transport, transit and trade processes,” said Fabio Galli, the World Bank Task Team Leader of the project. “As a result, we should see more reliable services, lower general transport costs and better road infrastructure sections along the corridor to better integrate Burkina Faso and Mali to the ports of Ghana and an improved inter state road movement of goods along the corridor.”

The Corridor Road Infrastructure Improvement component of the project will improve the road corridor to carry inter and intra-country traffic by: (i) rehabilitating and strengthening key road sections; (ii) constructing rest stop areas; (iii) implementing social and environmental mitigation measures for the civil works; (iv) implementing a corridor-specific HIV/AIDS action plan; and (v) designing and implementing a corridor-specific road safety action plan.

The Corridor Transport and Transit Facilitation Measures will strengthen the capacity of customs and transport authorities to better manage the movement of transit traffic along the corridor. This will help construct a satellite transit truck village adjacent to the Port of Tema and rehabilitate and equip Faladie multi-functional platform in Bamako. It will also support the upgrading of customs-relation information and communication technology and extension of cargo tracking system to better monitor and secure transit traffic and build capacity and technical assistance support to improve the effectiveness of customs and transport authorities to monitor and control transit traffic.

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

For more information on the World Bank’s work in Burkina Faso visit: www.worldbank.org/burkinafaso

For more information on the World Bank’s activities in Ghana visit: www.worldbank.org/ghana

For more information on the World Bank's activities in Mali visit: www.worldbank.org/mali

For more information about this project visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P079749

[1] The credits are provided on standard International Development Association (IDA) terms, with a commitment charge of 0.50 percent per annum and a service charge of 0.75 percent per annum (on the disbursed credit balance) over a 40 year period of maturity which includes a 10-year grace period.

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

West Africa Transport and Transit Facilitation Project

2008-06-19T18:01:26.000Z

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

West Africa Transport and Transit Facilitation Project

IDA CREDIT: US$190 million

TERMS: Maturity = 40 Years; Grace Period = 10 Years

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The West Africa Transport and Transit Facilitation Project aims to improve access by Burkina Faso and Mali to Ghanaian ports, as well as improve port operations and facilitate the efficient movement of traffic along the Tema - Ouagadougou - Bamako transport corridor. The project also aims to support the implementation of the first phase of the WAEMU/Ghana’s Road Program I (RP-I) program.

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?projid=P079749&Type=Overview&theSitePK=40941&pagePK=51351001&menuPK=51351213&piPK=51351143

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

The project Health Sector Support and AIDS project - Additional Financing has changed to Active

2008-06-18T04:00:00.000Z

The project Health Sector Support and AIDS project - Additional Financing has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The additional financing to the Burkina Faso Health Sector Support and Multisectoral AIDS Project (HSSMAP) will help finance the costs associated with the control of the meningitis outbreaks in various health districts, and a restructuring of the project to accelerate essential health and nutrition activities at the family and community level in response to a worsening malnutrition problem which: (i) has reached crisis levels; (ii) is holding back the country's efforts towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to which the project intends to contribute, and (iii) since 2007 is receiving high-level attention from national authorities eager to develop a systemic national response to a structural problem that has turned into a crisis situation. Burkina Faso has made substantial progress on structural reforms, sustained real economic growth of nearly 6 percent per annum, and maintained a stable macroeconomic and political climate. Yet, the macroeconomic situation remains fragile due to weak domestic revenue mobilization and vulnerability to exogenous shocks. However, despite this recent progress, the country remains poor, with per capita income of only $430 in 2005 and low levels of human development. The additional financing of restructuring will support: (i) the costs incurred for the prevention and control of the meningitis outbreak; (ii)a new subcomponent for the implementation of essential health and nutrition actions at community level; and (iii) the development of a community health and nutrition strategy which recognizes the need for decentralization, contracting out to civil society organizations, consolidation of implementing agencies, and capacity building in management and implementation. The community-based nutrition activities will be implemented in at least five out of the 13 regions over a period of four years reaching a minimum of 10 percent of the total population of rural children under five. The five initial priority regions for accelerating direct nutrition action are the Sahel, Nord, Centre Ouest, Cascades, and Sud-Ouest.

The project International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering has changed to Active

2008-06-18T04:00:00.000Z

The project International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) Project for Burkina Faso is to increase the number of highly skilled professionals in the areas of water, energy, environment, and infrastructure engineering which are vital fields for Africa's development. It will do so by supporting the development of 2iE as a regional center of excellence, in particular by: (i) further increasing the capacity of the 2iE campuses in Kamboinse and Ouagadougou to train and board students; (ii) improving the quality of training and research programs, particularly at master and doctorate levels; and (iii) improving the institute's management and communication capacity. There are three components to the project. The first component of the project will increase the capacity of 2iE from 520 students to 1000 students by: (i) expanding the overall infrastructure of the 2iE campuses, including boarding facilities and student life facilities; (ii) improving the pedagogic and research capacity with a main scientific building hosting research laboratories, researchers offices and experimentation facilities, two adjustable pedagogic halls (500 and 400 seats), a conference hall (250 seats) and classroom facilities; and (iii) rehabilitating existing infrastructure in the two campuses, in particular for electrical and fire safety. The second component of the project will improve the quality of training and research by: (i) equipping world class scientific laboratories in key areas: pollution control and water treatment in tropical environment, water and irrigation in Sub-Saharan environment, biomass energy and bio-fuel, interdisciplinary mathematics modeling, environment and eco-health and building eco-materials, and improving language learning and developing e-learning; and (ii) developing postgraduate diplomas and strengthening the capacity of teaching staff and developing international partnerships, increasing the dissemination of knowledge and technology in the areas of water and environment, and strengthening the partnership with the private sector and employers. The third component of the project will improve the communication and management capacity of the institution by: (i) strengthening 2iE's outreach towards non-Francophone students and countries, Anglophone teachers, and African higher education institutions; and (ii) strengthening 2iE's management capacity for project monitoring, including the technical supervision of construction, as well as improving 2iE's financial sustainability through a stronger internal control and auditing process.

The project Basic Education Sector Project - Additional Financing is now in the pipeline.

2008-06-12T04:00:00.000Z

The project Basic Education Sector Project - Additional Financing is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Basic Education Sector Project for Burkina Faso is to assist the recipient in its efforts to implement the ten-year program. In addition, the Government of Burkina Faso (GoBF) has requested that the Bank supports the implementation of a targeted safety net program through school feeding program to mitigate dropout risks in a time of food crisis due to rising prices and exogenous shocks. The additional financing will provide the opportunity to target vulnerable areas which have been affected by recent flood and where children are likely to dropout from school and parents less willing to invest in children's schooling. The targeted intervention will support the program's objectives through a school feeding program intended for about 200,000 children, which will reduce considerably dropout and repetition rate, as it will increase gross intake rate in first grade in these areas. Additional activities are therefore necessary, and have been planned by Government. At present, the GoBF is unable to provide sufficient funding to finance the proposed activities, particularly school-based quality improvement and teacher support, as well as school feeding programs, whose impact on access and retention of poor children in primary school is high. Hence, additional financing from the Bank is essential to help consolidate and expand gains in order to meet the program development objectives.

Burkina Faso: Basic Education Sector Project

2008-06-10T22:37:08.000Z

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IDA Credit: US$ 15 Million

TERMS: Maturity = 40 Years; Grace Period = 10 Years

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Basic Education Sector Project for Burkina Faso aims to improve the gross primary enrollment rate currently at 67%, the gross intake rate at first grade of 78% and the primary achievement rate of 39%. The building of school canteens will support vulnerable children in poor families in rural areas and girls by providing a nutritional safety net. By strengthening the sector’s management and monitoring, the program will provide management improvement which will strengthen the foundation for a sustainable education sector program in the context of decentralization. Finally, it will provide training, curriculum enhancement, and pedagogical materials that will contribute to greater learning outcomes

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://www.worldbank.org/bf

Burkina Faso: World Bank Approves US$15 million for Basic Education Project

2008-06-10T22:11:28.000Z

Contacts

In Washington: Aby Toure +1 202 473 8302

akonate@worldbank.org

In Ouagadougou: Lionel Yaro +226 50 30 63 36

lyaro@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2008 – The Executive Board of the World Bank today approved an International Development Association additional credit of US$15 million for the Basic Education Sector project in the Republic of Burkina Faso.

The original Basic Education sector credit in the amount of US$32.6 million was approved in January 2002 and became effective in October 2002. This additional financing will continue to support the Government’s Ten-year Basic Education Sector Development Program and build on the results achieved under the first phase, progressively expanding and improving the basic education sector.

The construction of schools under the project will further contribute to improve the gross primary enrollment rate currently at 67%, the gross intake rate at first grade of 78% and the primary achievement rate of 39%. The building of school canteens will support vulnerable children in poor families in rural areas and girls by providing a nutritional safety net. By strengthening the sector’s management and monitoring, the program will provide management improvement which will strengthen the foundation for a sustainable education sector program in the context of decentralization. Finally, it will provide training, curriculum enhancement, and pedagogical materials that will contribute to greater learning outcomes.

The Basic Education Sector project and the additional financing are entirely consistent with the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) and the Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) priorities for the period 2006-2009 as they aim to increase the educational level of rural population and to incorporate cross-cutting issues of capacity building, gender and decentralization.

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

For more information on the World Bank’s work in Burkina Faso visit: www.worldbank.org/burkinafaso

Burkina Faso: World Bank Approves US$20 million for Health and the creation of an Engineering Institute

2008-06-05T22:14:49.000Z

Contacts

In Washington: Aby Toure +1 202 473 8302
akonate@worldbank.org
In Ouagadougou: Lionel Yaro +226 50 30 63 36
lyaro@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2008 – The Executive Board of the World Bank today approved one grant and one credit amounting US$20 million for health and education projects in the Republic of Burkina Faso.

Today’s approval consists of a US$15 million additional grant for the Health Sector Support and Multisectoral AIDS project and a US$5 million credit for the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering project.

The original Health Sector Support and Mutisectoral AIDS project of US$47 million was approved in April 2006. This additional funding will contribute to the Government's effort to purchase adequate doses of meningitis vaccines to mitigate any recurrent outbreaks of meningitis, and accelerate essential health and nutrition activities at the community level in response to a worsening malnutrition problem which has reached crisis levels and is holding back the country’s efforts towards the Millennium Development Goals. The additional US$15 million will consecrate US$10 million to strengthening the partnership between the public and the private sectors in providing much needed support to grassroots communities tackling malnutrition issues and, as such, assist in enhancing capacity of the civil society to fully participate in the provision of basic health services to the poor.

The International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) aims to increase the number of highly skilled professionals in the areas of water, energy, environment and infrastructure engineering which are vital fields for Africa’s development. This project will support the development of 2iE as a regional center of excellence by further increasing the capacity of the institute’s campuses in Kamboinse and Ouagadougou to train and board students, improving the quality of training and research program, particularly at master and doctorate levels, and improving the institute’s management and communication capacity.

By training in Africa highly qualified young engineers and technicians coming from a large number of Francophone and Anglophone African countries, the 2iE will contribute to developing African competitiveness and expertise in the growing sectors of water, environment, energy and infrastructure, and provide the indispensable human resources to carry out important water and sanitation related project investment.

All two programs are aligned with the World Bank Country Assistance Strategy for Burkina Faso.

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

For more information on the World Bank’s work in Burkina Faso visit: www.worldbank.org/burkinafaso

For more information about these projects visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=343876&menuPK=343910&Projectid=P110815

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=343876&menuPK=343910&Projectid=P108791

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Burkina Faso: International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering

2008-06-05T21:44:58.000Z

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IDA Credit: US$ 5 Million

TERMS: Maturity = 40 Years; Grace Period = 10 Years

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The objective of the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) project is to increase the number of highly skilled professionals in the areas of water, energy, environment and infrastructure engineering which are vital fields for

Africa’s development. It will do so by supporting the development of 2iE as a regional center of excellence, in particular by: (i) further increasing the capacity of the 2iE campuses in Kamboinsé and Ouagadougou to train and board students; (ii) improving the quality of training and research programs, particularly at master and doctorate levels; and (iii) improving the institute’s management and communication capacity.

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

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Burkina Faso: Health Sector Support and Multisectoral AIDS-Additional Financing Grant

2008-06-05T21:43:04.000Z

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IDA Grant: US$15 Million

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The original project development objective, which remains unchanged in this additional financing, is to support implementation of the Government of Burkina Faso's health sector and multi-sectoral HIV/AIDS strategies, in order to accelerate progress toward the Millennium Development Goals. The original project has two components. Component (A) provides support for the national health strategy for: (i) improved quality and utilization of maternal and child health services; (ii) malaria prevention and treatment; and (iii) treatment for HIV/AIDS and sexually transmissible infections. Component (B) supports the National HIV/AIDS Strategy through a pooled fund at the National AIDS Council to: (i) improve knowledge of HIV prevention and encourage adoption of lower risk

behaviors, among high-risk groups as well as the general population; and (ii) mitigate the socioeconomic consequences o f the AIDS epidemic through improved coverage of social safety nets.

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

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

New report on economic growth offers lessons on achieving sustained, high economic growth

2008-05-21T17:11:32.000Z

Contacts:

In Washington:

Maya Brahmam at +1-202-473-6231 or email at mbrahmam@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2008 – The World Bank Group welcomes a new report by the independent Commission on Growth and Development, a global panel of eminent experts, which reveals important lessons from countries that have achieved high, long-term economic growth. The experts say the lessons learned could help policy makers in developing countries as they seek to set their countries on a steady growth path.

The Growth Report: Strategies for Sustained Growth and Inclusive Development says integration into the world economy, maintaining high rates of savings and investment, and committed, capable governments are among the key features of countries that have sustained growth rates above 7 percent for 25 uninterrupted years since World War II.

"This report underscores to the development community that one size doesn’t fit all." said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. I am especially pleased that it draws on input from first class practitioners and leaders who have hands-on pragmatic and practical experience of making inclusive development a success. This will help enrich the thinking and practice of the World Bank Group as well as others in the development field.” “

High, long-lasting growth is not easily achieved, but the report by some of the world’s top policy-makers and thinkers, believes it can be reproduced in developing countries, giving them a chance to reduce poverty and improve opportunity and quality of life for their citizens.

“We are acutely aware that there are no silver bullets to create long-running, inclusive growth, and that no single paradigm exists,” says Commission Vice Chair Danny Leipziger, who is also Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management at the World Bank. “While seeking to identify those key elements that can lead to long running and inclusive growth, the report is clear that policy makers will need to customize and experiment with polices rather than follow any rigid set of guidelines.”

Commission Chairman Michael Spence said: " What makes the report so unique is that it was prepared by policymakers, many from developing countries, who have been in the trenches themselves and have learned what works and why. It is these commissioners who are now providing their insights to the next generation of policymakers on ways to improve growth prospects and the quality of life in the poor parts of the globe."

Spence is one of two Nobel Laureates on the 21-member commission comprising leaders from business, government and academia. The Commissioners come from 18 countries that include a broad mix of developing, emerging and developed economies, as well as small island states and populous, large countries.

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To download full report click here:

http://www.growthcommission.org/

The project Development Learning Center Project has changed to Closed

2008-04-18T04:00:00.000Z

The project Development Learning Center Project has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The Development Learning Center Project will test the viability of a distance learning institution in Burkina Faso, as well as its ability in approaching international knowledge, to improve implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), Bank financed projects, and in the coordination of local training institutions as regards national capacity building policy. The three main components are: 1) construction and establishment of the Development Learning Center (CEDO), which will include facilities building comprising a videoconference room, computer rooms, technical and administrative centers, and, the installation of electrical, and telecommunication lines, in addition to satellite, telecommunication, and classroom equipments. This component has been financed by the Project Preparation Facility (PPF), so that distance learning activities could start immediately after project effectiveness; 2) support for CEDO's operation, by financing operating costs on a decreasing basis over the first three years of operation; and, by providing technical assistance for staff training, to conduct periodic evaluations on the Center's operation, and management, as well as for the establishment of financial accounts, and annual auditing; and, 3) monitoring and evaluation of CEDO's activities, and the pilot achievements and performance indicators, respectively.

The project Health Sector Support and AIDS project - Additional Financing is now in the pipeline.

2008-03-20T04:00:00.000Z

The project Health Sector Support and AIDS project - Additional Financing is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Sustainable Wildlife and Biodiversity Management Project is now in the pipeline.

2008-03-17T04:00:00.000Z

The project Sustainable Wildlife and Biodiversity Management Project is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project PARTNERSHIP FOR NATURAL ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROJECT has changed to Closed

2008-01-02T05:00:00.000Z

The project PARTNERSHIP FOR NATURAL ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROJECT has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The National Natural Ecosystem Management project aims at significantly impact biodiversity conservation, by setting the stage for long-term improvement of protected area management, gradually phasing a secure, sustainable global outcome. This first phase will thus reverse biodiversity trends in priority, protected areas, through the following components: 1) National capacity building will support decentralized management of protected areas, through financing by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to the Forestry Department, building awareness and providing training for staff, concessionaires, and private operators. Additionally, studies and workshops will be conducted to support sector reforms, i.e., legal, and institutional reforms, and economic and financial analysis of protected areas. Moreover, monitoring, information, and communication systems will be implemented to attain international coordination in the subject. 2) The GEF will finance incremental support to set advisory fora on the subject of protected areas, wildlife conservation units, and provincial services, including technical assistance and training, for agriculture, livestock, and education development. Community awareness will be intensified through local training, and institution building. The initial protected area management shall identify areas, to diagnose pastoral land tenure uses in the Sahel; study conservation dynamics in the Kabore-Nazinga-Sissili complex; diagnose water resources at the Mares aux Hippos Biosphere Reserve; and, prepare and implement protected areas management plans, i.e., construction and infrastructure development, and, surveillance and monitoring of local ecosystems. 3) Incremental support will be financed by the GEF for the National Steering Committee, the Scientific Technical Advisory Council, and the Conseil National pour la Gestion de l'Environnement. Finally, project administration costs will cover procurement, financial management, reporting, and monitoring criteria.

The project Ouagadougou Water Supply Project has changed to Closed

2008-01-02T05:00:00.000Z

The project Ouagadougou Water Supply Project has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The Ouagadougou Water Supply Project will increase access to adequate, and reliable potable water in the city, through expansion of the distribution, and tertiary water networks, and, through improvements in the urban water sub-sector management. Project components include: 1) construction of the Boudtenga storage facility, and ductile cast iron transmission main, which further includes the construction of distribution, and tertiary networks, and, the installation of connections, and stand-posts; 2) technical assistance (TA) provision, through the supervision of infrastructure project works; and, review, and approval of construction drawings, equipment supply, quality of materials, and works implementation progress; and, 3) capacity building, and institutional strengthening, through a capacity building program, and TA to support the National Office for Water and Sanitation's corporate, and technical development, as well as developing, and implementing management training programs in personnel, and financial/administrative management, including training programs for technical operators regarding water systems, and maintenance works. Moreover, commercial operations, and financial management will be improved, standardizing operating manuals, establishing a computerized financial management system, and databases for better customer services, and, operating investment resources will be available.

The project International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering is now in the pipeline.

2007-11-19T05:00:00.000Z

The project International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Development Learning Center Project is now in the pipeline.

2007-10-25T04:00:00.000Z

The project Development Learning Center Project is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database