Brazil | World Bank

Brazil - Third VIGISUS Project : disease surveillance and control

Brazil - Additional Financing for the Sao Paulo Trains and Signaling Project

Brazil - Second Bolsa Familia Project

Brazil - Second Bolsa Familia Adaptable Program Loan Project : social assessment and indigenous peoples plan

The Second Bolso Familia Project in Brazil is targeted to address social exclusion by making cash transfers to women in extremely poor households, to provide an income floor and it is used as an incentive for their children to attend school and health programs. Conflicts with local governments may be pervasive, especially around land tenure issues. Hence, the importance of early involvement of the communities in the first planning steps. When conflicts are too acute, the registration was delegated to third parties such as trained local Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). Given the lack of identification (ID), the program has simplified its ID requirement to the presentation of any one of birth certificate, marriage certificate, voting card or any nationally recognized ID. In addition, the program managers are encouraged to work in collaboration with Ministry of Justice, Funda O Nacional Do Dio (FUNAI) and the civil registry. When families are not nuclear, the program seeks to identify women as the beneficiaries. In all cases, after discussion with community leadership, the leaders accepted that women receive the benefit. When adequate health or education services are not available, the program acknowledges their absence and the difficulty/impossibility to comply with conditionality's. Additional consultations are necessary to identify who are the most vulnerable families, who really need cash transfers (i.e. those living close to urban centers or who cannot produce their own food or who are facing high vulnerability situations such as acute malnutrition). In areas which function on barter system, income-based poverty as defined by the Cadastro Unico may need to be revised so as to not contradict the organization of these groups. FUNAI can help local managers to identify most vulnerable ethnic groups. Communities with high levels of infant mortality and child malnutrition will receive priority. Program managers need to understand inter-ethnic conflicts (often because of land tenure issues) before entering communities so as to register the neediest families and not only the best articulated and organized.

Brazil - Second Bolsa Familia Project

Brazil - Additional Financing for the Sao Paulo Trains and Signaling Project

Brazil - Rio de Janeiro Public Sector Modernization Project

Brazil - Eletrobras Distribution Rehabilitation Project

Status of projects in execution (SOPE) - FY09 : Latin America and the Caribbean region - Brazil

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.

A comparative perspective on poverty reduction in Brazil, China and India

Brazil, China and India have seen falling poverty in their reform periods, but to varying degrees and for different reasons. History left China with favorable initial conditions for rapid poverty reduction through market-led economic growth; at the outset of the reform process there were ample distortions to remove and relatively low inequality in access to the opportunities so created, though inequality has risen markedly since. By concentrating such opportunities in the hands of the better off, prior inequalities in various dimensions handicapped poverty reduction in both Brazil and India. Brazils recent success in complementing market-oriented reforms with progressive social policies has helped it achieve more rapid poverty reduction than India, although Brazil has been less successful in terms of economic growth. In the wake of its steep rise in inequality, China might learn from Brazils success with such policies. India needs to do more to assure that poor people are able to participate in both the countrys growth process and its social policies; here there are lessons from both China and Brazil. All three countries have learned how important macroeconomic stability is to poverty reduction.

Impacts of policy instruments to reduce congestion and emissions from urban transportation : the case of Sao Paulo, Brazil

This study examines impacts on net social benefits or economic welfare of alternative policy instruments for reducing traffic congestion and atmospheric emissions in São Paulo, Brazil. The study shows that expanding road networks, subsidizing public transit, and improving automobile fuel economy may not be as effective as suggested by economic theories because these policies could cause significant rebound effects. Although pricing instruments such as congestion tolls and fuel taxes would certainly reduce congestion and emissions, the optimal level of these instruments would steeply increase the monetary cost of travel per trip and are therefore politically difficult to implement. However, a noticeable finding is that even smaller tolls, which are more likely to be politically acceptable, have substantial benefits in terms of reducing congestion and emissions. Among the various policy instruments examined in the study, the most socially preferable policy option for São Paulo would be to introduce a mix of congestion toll and fuel taxes on automobiles and use the revenues to improve public transit systems.

Korea and the BICs (Brazil, India and China) : catching up experiences

This paper tests a neo-Schumpeterian model with industry-level data to analyze how Brazil, India, and China are catching up with South Koreas technological frontier in a globalized world. The paper validates Aghion et al.s inverted-U hypothesis that industries that are closer to the technological frontier innovate to escape competition while longer distances discourage innovating. It suggests that for effective catching up, distance-shortening (or innovation-enhancing) policies may be a necessary complement to liberalization. South Korea and China combined a variety of distance-shortening policies with financial subsidies to promote high tech industries and an export-led growth strategy. Post-liberalization, they leveraged swift competition to spur catch-up. In comparison, Brazil, which was as rich as South Korea, and India, which was as rich as China in 1980, are catching up more slowly. Import-substitution industrialization strategies saddled Brazil and India with a large anti-export bias, and unfocused attention to innovation-enhancing policies dampened global competitiveness. Post liberalization, many of their industries were too far behind the technological frontier to effectively benefit from competition. The catch-up experiences of Brazil, India, and China with South Korea illustrate that distance from the technological frontier matters and that the design of country-specific distance- shortening policies can be an important complement to trade liberalization in promoting catching up with richer countries.

Brazil - Global Environment Facility (GEF) Sustainable Transport and Air Quality Project

Brazil - Parana Biodiversity Project

Ratings for the Parana Biodiversity Project for Brazil were as follows: outcomes were moderately satisfactory, the risk to global environment outcome was moderate, the Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and the Borrower performance was also moderately satisfactory. Some lessons learned included: the success of the project, even considering the difficulties that emerged along its development, strongly suggests that there is an added value in trying to promote this innovative approach. Moreover, it could be further expanded by including more government agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) with different, complementary profiles, the academic and research, as well as other relevant sectors of the civil society. Even if challenging and difficult to implement, developing a better and wider coordination and integration between government sectors and other non-governmental institutions is becoming an urgent need in face of the growing environmental problems that affect the whole planet. Given its innovative and somewhat experimental nature, it is important to bear in mind that even errors, difficulties and unexpected outcomes resulting from this project provide very useful experience and insight applicable to future projects of similar intersectoral and transversal nature. Problems related with project administration that emerged along this project suggest that as projects become more complex and intersectoral; conflicts of this nature are more likely to arise. Therefore, it will be important in future projects to resource to all the available mechanisms that may contribute to eliminate beforehand as many potential difficulties of this kind as possible. At the time when the project was planned, the State Government of Parana had showed a strong commitment and support for environmental protection. Accordingly, the project was designed under the assumption that the State authorities will support innovative approaches and their effective implementation. After elections in 2002 the new authorities did not embrace the government commitment with the same emphasis. As a result, project implementation suffered both administrative delays and changes in priorities that affected the normal development of planned activities in several components.

Brazil - Bahia Integrated Health and Water Management Project (SWAP)

Brazil - Rio de Janeiro State Fiscal Sustainability, Human Development, and Competitiveness Development Policy Loan Project

Brazil - Bahia Integrated State Highway Management Project : procurement plan

The project First Programmatic Development Policy Loan for Sustainable Environmental Management has changed to Closed

2009-11-18T05:00:00.000Z

The project First Programmatic Development Policy Loan for Sustainable Environmental Management has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

This development policy loan (DPL) is the first operation in a series of two loans which span the period 2008-2010 and aim to support the Government of Brazi (GoB) efforts to (i) improve the effectiveness and efficiency of policies and guidelines of the Brazilian environmental management system; and (ii) further integrate principles of environmentally sustainable development in the development agenda of key sectors. By focusing on these sectors, the Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM) DPL series will support the GoB commitment to implement a model of accelerated competitiveness and growth while assuring improved environmental and poverty outcomes, which are pillars of the 2008-2011 Country Partnership Strategy (CPS). In this way, the SEM DPL series supports the GoB concerted efforts to promote the sustainable management of agricultural lands, forests, and water resources; reduction of deforestation in the Amazon; reduction of the environmental degradation of land, water, and other resources which are key determinants of the well-being of the poor; and promotion of renewable.

The project VIGISUS III Project - Disease Surveillance & Control is now in the pipeline.

2009-11-17T05:00:00.000Z

The project VIGISUS III Project - Disease Surveillance & Control is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Sergipe Water Project is now in the pipeline.

2009-11-14T05:00:00.000Z

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

The project Biodiversity Conservation Tabuleiro State Park (GEF-MSP) has changed to Closed

2009-11-02T05:00:00.000Z

The project Biodiversity Conservation Tabuleiro State Park (GEF-MSP) has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Rio de Janeiro Public Sector Modernization is now in the pipeline.

2009-10-27T04:00:00.000Z

The project Rio de Janeiro Public Sector Modernization is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Second National Environmental Project - Phase II has changed to Active

2009-10-02T04:00:00.000Z

The project Second National Environmental Project - Phase II has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Second National Environmental Project (Second Phase) is to contribute to strengthening environmental capacity in key Brazilian institutions. This will be accomplished by enhancing the environmental management capacity of institutions at the federal, state, federal district, and municipal levels and by demonstrating the effectiveness of targeted subprojects focused on defined priorities. There are three components to the project, the first component being institutional development. This component has evolved from first phase. Given the growing challenges for environmental licensing at the federal, state, federal district and municipal levels, and growing demands for investments and infrastructure, environmental licensing has become an urgent and sometimes contentious issue for Ministry of Environment (MMA) to address and improve. In second phase, strengthening the capacity for environmental licensing at the federal, state and federal district levels will have greater emphasis. The second component is the integrated management of environmental assets. The principle behind the Environmental Assets (EA) component is to provide an incentive to, federal agencies, states and the federal district, through project partners to identify rank and address some of their most pressing environmental challenges, and provide support for adoption of integrated management sustainable practices. Finally, the third component is the coordination, dialogue, and communication. This component includes a small communications unit that will develop and implement a strategy to disseminate lessons learned from current and past project activities and help to build support and understanding for environmental programs among various stakeholder groups.

The project State of Rio de Janeiro Human Development and Competitiveness is now in the pipeline.

2009-09-30T04:00:00.000Z

The project State of Rio de Janeiro Human Development and Competitiveness is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Bahia Integrated Health and Water Management Project (SWAP) is now in the pipeline.

2009-09-29T04:00:00.000Z

The project Bahia Integrated Health and Water Management Project (SWAP) is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Brazil: US$24.3 Million for Green Growth

2009-09-23T20:33:57.000Z

Contacts: Brasília – Denise Marinho (+55-61) 3329-1099

dmarinho@worldbank.org

Washington – Gabriela Aguilar (+1 202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, September 23, 2009 – While Brazil already is showing clear signs of economic recovery after suffering the impact of the global financial crisis, the World Bank approved yesterday a US$24.3 million loan for Phase II of the Second National Environmental Project (NEP) to support efforts to enhance the environment and sustain economic growth.

"Environmental concerns have become central to public policies in Brazil, and this project is a reflection of this," said Carlos Minc, Brazil´s minister of environment. "The NEP II initiative has proven that it is possible to achieve important improvements to environmental management at all government levels, integrated with the social and economic sectors. In this new stage, the program will have a total budget of US$34.7 million, of which about US$17 million will help improve environmental licenses in the federal agencies (IBAMA, ANA and ICMBio) and state agencies, as part of the country's sustainable development goals."

Brazil has historically based its economy on its immense natural resources wealth. A significant part of its economy relies on the use of natural resources, whether as production inputs or as sinks for production waste. Despite the importance of its natural assets, growth in Brazil has often had negative environment impacts, such as water and air pollution in urban and industrial areas, loss or degradation of forests and ecosystems, and soil loss. These issues end up limiting the country´s future growth potential.

Phase 2 of NEP II will help states and the federal government to reduce some of the costs associated with environmental degradation and to promote an environmentally and socially sustainable growth pattern in Brazil.

“As the economy recovers from the crisis, the project will be especially important to help Brazil attain higher growth in a way that is sustainable in the long term,” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Country Director for Brazil. “In the past few years, Brazil has demonstrated that growth and protection of key environmental concerns, such as the Amazon, is possible. This project is evidence of Brazil´s commitment to this development path.”

The new phase will consolidate the progress made in environmental capacity in key Brazilian institutions. It will enhance the environmental management capacity of environmental institutions at the federal, state and municipal levels and by demonstrating the effectiveness of targeted subprojects focused on priorities determined by States.

The project has three core components:

· Institutional Development, strengthening environmental licensing policies and procedures at the federal, state and municipal levels; environmental quality monitoring; and economic instruments for environmental management;

· Integrated Management of Environmental Assets providing an incentive to states to identify, rank and address some of their most pressing environmental challenges; and

· Coordination, Dialogue and Communication supporting a unit with the technical and administrative capacity needed to manage subprojects and activities at a decentralized level.

“Since 2002, the government´s environmental program has had four major pillars: decentralization, strengthening of the National Environmental System, social control and integrating environmental issues in all government actions,” said Adriana Moreira, Senior Environmental Specialist and World Bank Project Manager. “The first phase of the program contributed significantly to each one of these pillars, and NEP II is currently the main mechanism to strengthen the capacity at the local, state and Federal levels for environmental management including licensing.”

Phase 1 of the Second National Environmental Project was implemented from 2000 to 2006, with US$9 million. It achieved numerous results including:

· Twenty-five of the twenty-seven states identified environmental priorities to guide subprojects and interventions, and ten states had working water quality monitoring systems;

· Seven additional states (AC, CE, GO, MG, MT, PB and SC) had digital licensing systems, making the licensing process more transparent and efficient. This also transformed the licensing process into a tool for environmental management;

There were forty-three specific subprojects in 17 states, leading to improvements in decentralized environmental management.

For additional information on the project, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?Projectid=P099469&Type=Financial&theSitePK=40941&pagePK=64330670&menuPK=64282135&piPK=64302772

For more information on the World Bank in Brazil, please visit:

http://www.worldbank.org/br

The project Rural Poverty Reduction Project - Minas Gerais has changed to Closed

2009-09-21T04:00:00.000Z

The project Rural Poverty Reduction Project - Minas Gerais has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Rural Poverty Reduction Project is to assist the State of Minas Gerais to reduce high levels of rural poverty by: (a) improving well being and incomes of the rural poor; (b) increasing the social capital of rural communities to organize collectively to meet own needs; (c) enhancing local governance by greater citizen participation and transparency in decision-making; and (d) fostering closer integration of development policies, programs and projects at the local level. It consists of three components. Component 1 (Community Subprojects) provides matching grants to rural community associations to finance approximately 1,860 socio-economic infrastructure and productive subprojects (up to US$50,000 each) identified by these groups as priority investments that will improve community well-being and benefit around 93,000 families. Component 2 (Institutional Development) will finance technical assistance and training to increase capacity of implementing entities including municipal councils, community associations and the state technical unit. Component 3 (Administration, Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation) will finance incremental costs (excluding salaries) of project administration and coordination, including supervision, monitoring and impact evaluation.

The project ELETROBRAS Distribution Rehabilitation is now in the pipeline.

2009-09-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project ELETROBRAS Distribution Rehabilitation is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Rural Development Project has changed to Active

2009-09-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Rural Development Project has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Rural Development Project is to increase the adoption of integrated and sustainable farming systems approaches in specific areas of the Brazils territory, thus contributing to the higher-order objective of increasing small-scale farming productivity and competitiveness in those areas. The Project will support three components: 1. The Support to Small Farmer Production and Competitiveness component will provide assistance to rural beneficiaries to operate changes in rural production processes within a framework of market-driven agricultural development focused on sustainable and increased productivity of small farmers, value added and market linkages through: a) pre-investment activities; and b) investment activities. 2. The Institutional Frameworks component will improve the Borrowers institutional frameworks supporting market-driven agricultural development by: a) strengthening rural institutions and coordination mechanisms; b) improving public and private financial support mechanisms; and c) undertaking participatory research. 3. The Project Coordination and Information Management component will support: a) the Borrowers overall project management and coordination, monitoring and evaluation, as well as; b) dissemination of key sustainable rural development information under the Project.

The project QUALISUS-REDE Brazil Health Network Formation and Quality Improvement Project has changed to Closed

2009-09-12T04:00:00.000Z

The project QUALISUS-REDE Brazil Health Network Formation and Quality Improvement Project has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objectives of the First Phase of the Adaptable Program Loan for the Health Network Formation and Quality Improvement Project for Brazil are to: i) improve the quality and efficiency of the Unified Health System (SUS)' Regional Health Care Networks (RHCN) with the emphasis on secondary-level health care, specialty, diagnostic and emergency centers, and logistical systems serving the project's targeted regions and populations; and ii) improve the effectiveness of the SUS' RHCNs delivery systems to prevent, detect, and treat priority health conditions in the project's targeted regions and populations. There are three components to the project. The first component of the project is development of regional health care networks and strengthening of health care facilities. This component supports two related categories of activities. The first involves the development and implementation of regional and organized arrangements for coordinated or integrated care - (RHCNs). The second consists of upgrading, quality enhancement, organizational reform, and strengthening of management practices in facilities within the RHCNs. The second component of the project is systems development for performance enhancement. This component supports the creation of an enabling institutional and systems environment to support the implementation of RHCNs, improve quality and care management, promote alternative payment systems, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation capacity. This component will have a national focus and will be implemented directly by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The third component of the project is project management. This component aims at strengthening the MOH to implement and supervise the project implementation and results. It will finance a group of fulltime consultants that will support the MOH's staff to carry out procurement, financial management and administrative tasks associated to the project's daily implementation. It will also finance facility upgrading (rehabilitation, office furniture, and computer equipment), consulting and non-consulting services such as printing, training and travel expenses.

The project Recife Urban Development and Social Inclusion (CAPIBARIBE MELHOR) has changed to Closed

2009-09-12T04:00:00.000Z

The project Recife Urban Development and Social Inclusion (CAPIBARIBE MELHOR) has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Brazil Recife Urban Development and Social Inclusion Project is to support the upgrading of slums in the Capibaribe River Basin and promote the integrated and sustainable development of the region. The project includes the following components: institutional development, to include (i) fiscal management and adjustment; (ii) environmental and urban management; and (iii) scaling-up capacity. The second component is for the integrated urban territorial development, this will include investments that are aimed at improving the quality of urban spaces along the margins of the river through the development of new or the rehabilitation of existing, infrastructure with the aim of improving the quality of life of the area's poor population. Finally, the third component is for environmental, social, and economic development of the territory. This component will focus on activities designed to provide incentives for the participatory social and economic development of these communities and at the same time raise awareness of the natural environment of the region and the behaviors that are conducive to its protection. To that end, this component will include two sub-components: (i) job and income generation assistance; and (ii) environmental and hygiene education.

US$ 39.5 Million Loan to Support Small-Scale Family Agriculture in Brazil

2009-09-10T22:55:45.000Z

Contacts: Brasília – Denise Marinho (+55-61) 3329-1099

dmarinho@worldbank.org

Washington – Gabriela Aguilar (+1 202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, September 10, 2009 – The World Bank today approved a US$39.5 million loan for the Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Rural Development Project in southeastern Brazil. The project seeks to improve income and living conditions for an estimated 150,000 people (37,000 families or 30 percent of Rio de Janeiro’s rural population), improving access to basic socioeconomic infrastructure, increasing productivity and linking farmers to consumer markets.

“The Rio Rural Project is an innovative approach to small scale agricultural development. It identifies and supports local production arrangements, self managed by the communities and integrates them with other public policies,” said Christino Áureo, Agriculture Secretary of Rio de Janeiro. “The participatory and territorial focus of the project make it possible to generate jobs and income in partnership with the private sector, while promoting environmental and social sustainability and strengthening the communities in their traditional activities. This will be a great step towards decreasing inequality and improving the quality of live in the interior of the State.”

Specifically, the Project will focus on enhancing the entrepreneurial capabilities and opportunities available to small farmers via participatory and decentralized actions, complementing and building on the results of the Rio Global Environment Fund Project (Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Integrated Ecosystem Management in Production Landscapes of the North and Northwest of the State).

“This project signals a new, full service, direction in rural development. It will increase the communities’ productive capacity in a way that is socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. Socially, with community investments and integration to broader social policies; environmentally, with carefully developed territorial plans that integrate production, preservation and improved carbon balance through reduced greenhouse gases emissions and increased carbon sequestration; and economically, with the creation of linkages to stable consumer markets,” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Director for Brazil.

The project will support:

Improve small farmer productivity through technical assistance, adaptation activities and financial incentives;
Enhance market linkages through investments in increasing the value added and inclusion in agricultural production chains, improved rural roads networks, and the coordination of public policies on territorial development;
Strengthen long-term impacts on larger scale sustained productivity, by productive and environmental planning and training, as well as investments in agro-ecological and natural resource management activities; and
Improve government support to the rural sector through support for institutional reforms, including more demand-driven and flexible arrangements, promoting a multi-sectoral vision, and broader participation of local actors in the design and implementation of rural development policies, as well as the creation of a long-term financing mechanism.

For additional information on the project, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P101508

For more information on the World Bank in Brazil, please visit:

http://www.worldbank.org/br

Brazil: Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Rural Development Project

2009-09-10T20:11:00.000Z

WASHINGTON, September 10, 2009 - The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved the following project:

IBRD Loan: US$39.5 million

Terms: Maturity = 23 years; Grace Period = 4 years

Project ID: P101508

Project Description: The Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Rural Development Project aims to increase the adoption of integrated and sustainable farming systems approaches, ultimately increasing small-scale farming productivity and competitiveness.

Media Contact

Mauro Azeredo

(61) 3329-1059 in Brasilia

Mazeredo@worldbank.org

For more project information, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P101508

The project Sao Paulo Metro Line 5 Project is now in the pipeline.

2009-09-01T04:00:00.000Z

The project Sao Paulo Metro Line 5 Project is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Sao Paulo Trains and Signaling Additional Financing is now in the pipeline.

2009-09-01T04:00:00.000Z

The project Sao Paulo Trains and Signaling Additional Financing is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Bahia Health System Reform Project has changed to Closed

2009-09-01T04:00:00.000Z

The project Bahia Health System Reform Project has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The development objectives of the Bahia Health System Reform Project are to implement the national policy of health care decentralization seeking to improve access of the poor to Basic Health Care, with improved coverage and quality of those health interventions with greatest influence over child mortality, maternal mortality, and the incidence of diseases prevalent among the poor, reduce inequities in the allocation of publicly funded health care services, and, improve efficiency and
quality in the use of public resources, Project components will : 1) strengthen the management, and governance of micro-regions, by enhancing the role of the micro-region as a purchaser of health care services. Technical assistance (TA) will be supported, for the deployment of performance based contracts between the micro-regions and their local providers, including TA, works, and equipment for the implementation of Regulation Centers. Furthermore, training, and TA will be provided for the adaptation of a unified health system card technology. The capacity of micro-regions will be strengthened in the conduct of clinical, environmental and financial audits, and to initiate as well, a process of accreditation, and, TA would support the preparation of Medical Waste Plans in health care facilities; 2) conduct and analyze health, demographic and social household surveys to provide a baseline for the project, and, support monitoring and evaluation requirements Likewise, policy studies will support implementation of payment systems reforms, and improvements in environmental management of medical waste. This component will finance technical assistance, and training for the introduction of performance contracting, the deployment of a Regulation Center for High Complexity Care at the state level, the strengthening of audit functions, and, accreditation of health care providers; and, 3) expand basic care, by strengthening the Pacto de Atencao Basica, i.e., Understanding on Basic Health Care provision. This sub-component will strengthen the state's role in planning, negotiating, monitoring and evaluating the "Pacto" through technical assistance, training, and equipment supply for the implementation of a state-level system of planning municipal targets, and, development of a system of consistency checks between the various databases pertaining to basic care.

The project Bahia State Integrated Rural Poverty Additional Financing has changed to Active

2009-07-31T04:00:00.000Z

The project Bahia State Integrated Rural Poverty Additional Financing has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Additional Financing for the Bahia State Integrated Rural Poverty Project for Brazil is to increase social and economic opportunities for municipalities' rural poor by improving their access to basic social and economic infrastructure. The additional financing (AF) loan will help finance the costs associated with the scaling up of activities to enhance the impact of this project, which has performed well throughout its implementation period. The AF will continue to support basic, small-scale infrastructure investments for the rural poor while intensifying the focus on income-generating activities and the linking of small farmers to national and international markets. The only change relates to size of the community sub-projects component which will now be expanded by an additional 800 small-scale socioeconomic infrastructure and productive investments aimed at raising the state's Human Development Index (HDI), benefiting an estimated 72,000 families (360,000 people) in 349 municipalities. The additional loan will continue to provide support under the other two components of institutional development, and project monitoring, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) during the extended period of the additional loan. The project Municipal Council (MC) will continue to be the critical link to local (municipal) governments and will continue to develop capacity to play an important role in local planning and priority-setting, and in leveraging the benefits from other, non-project poverty programs, for poor communities.

Brazil: US$ 30 Million Loan to Improve Living Conditions and Income for 360,000 Rural Poor in the Northeast

2009-07-28T20:25:50.000Z

Contacts:

Brasília – Denise Marinho (+55-61) 3329-1099

dmarinho@worldbank.org

Washington – Gabriela Aguilar (+1 202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2009 – The World Bank today approved a US$ 30 million additional financing for the Bahia State Integrated Project: Rural Poverty, in Northeast Brazil. The new loan will enable the Bahia State Government to include an estimated 360,000 people (72,000 families) in the ongoing project, which aims to increase social and economic opportunities for the rural poor by improving their access to basic socioeconomic infrastructure. Currently, the project benefits some 810,000 people (about 18% of the Bahia’s rural poor).

“The Produzir Project is an important part of the State Government’s efforts to empower small producers and raise the Human Development Index in the poorer regions of rural Bahia,” said Jaques Wagner, Governor of Bahia. “I am a great believer in this ongoing partnership between the Government and the small scale producers, as a way to take sustainable development to all of the State’s regions and reduce inequality. This is the philosophy of our Government. The World Bank’s support has been essential for this.”

The new loan will scale-up the results of the Bahia State Integrated Project, which had a US$ 54 million loan approved by the Bank in September 2005. The project builds on the successful and well-established community-driven approach, in which community associations directly choose and implement the social and productive investments they need. The project also seeks to strengthen cross-sectoral integration and provide emphasis on education, health, culture, natural resources management and environmental sustainability. Participatory mechanisms, which form the heart of the project, have enabled it to integrate with other State and Federal programs, thereby leveraging its poverty impact.

The financing will support an additional 800 community subprojects through matching grants for small-scale socio-economic infrastructure, education, health, cultural, environmental and productive investments. The project will also ensure that the poorest communities and traditionally marginalized groups such as the quilombola and indigenous populations have access to project benefits.

“Beyond expanding its reach, the new operation also marks a second phase of the program, in which producers will increasingly access markets both in Brazil and abroad, thereby closing the sustainability circle,” said Edward Bresnyan, World Bank Project Task Manager.

Specifically, the additional financing will support: (a) improving access to basic social and economic infrastructure and services; (b) enhancing small farmers’ productive activities and their linkages with national and international markets, using community-driven development techniques; and (c) scaling up the impact of public investments on rural poverty by using the skills, social capital and experience of the municipal councils and community associations to improve the relevance, efficiency, sustainability, targeting and outcomes of non-project State and Federal investments in rural Bahia.

The World Bank has been a partner of Bahia since 1950, and has helped finance over 40 projects in the State, totaling approximately US$ 1.8 billion, mainly for rural poverty reduction, transport, water resources management and education initiatives.

For additional information on the project, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P110617

For more information on the World Bank in Brazil, please visit:

http://www.worldbank.org/br

The project Sao Paulo Feeder Roads Project has changed to Active

2009-07-17T04:00:00.000Z

The project Sao Paulo Feeder Roads Project has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Sao Paulo Feeder Roads Project in Brazil is to improve the efficiency of the paved municipal road network. There are two components to the project. The first component of the project is feeder road rehabilitation. This component will provide financing for eligible civil works contracts under phase three of the pro-vicinais program, as well as possibly, depending on borrower's requests, the timing of loan effectiveness and conclusion of civil works under phases one and phase two, for a few eligible civil works contracts under these phases. The second component of the project is institutional strengthening. The project will support, through provision of equipment, training and consulting services, and the Secretariat's objective to improve its capacity to provide incentives for accelerating the undertaking of investments defined as priority by the state in its 2008-2011 pluri-annual expenditure program. Activities to be financed include, inter alia: (i) the structuring and initial operation of a monitoring and evaluation system of investments of the State Investments Program; (ii) the definition of a methodology to identify and prioritize projects potentially attractive to the private sector; (iii) the preparation and structuring of projects with private sector participation; (iv) improvements to the Secretariat's capacity in obtaining external financing; and (v) the elaboration of a strategy for communication with key stakeholders under the State Investment Program.

WB/Brazil: US$ 270.65 Million to Support Infrastructure and Water Pollution Control Projects in the State of São Paulo

2009-07-10T12:54:09.000Z

Contacts:

In Brasilia – Denise Marinho (+55-61) 3329-1099

dmarinho@worldbank.org

In Washington – Gabriela Aguilar (+1 202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2009 - The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today two loans for a total of US$ 270.65 million for two major projects aiming at improving transport conditions and controlling environmental and water pollution in the State of São Paulo.

The São Paulo State Feeder Road Project (US$166.65 million) will improve the efficiency of the paved municipal road network; while the Integrated Water Management Project in Metropolitan São Paulo (US$ 104 million) will protect and maintain the quality of potable and other water sources.

"The partnership between the State of São Paulo and the World Bank has been extremely important to the development of projects such as the São Paulo Feeder Road, which until 2010 will rehabilitate a total of 12,000 km of roads, facilitating the movement of people and the delivery of products from the interior of the State. said São Paulo Governor José Serra. He added “ Another important partnership is the São Paulo Mananciais Project, which aims to recover large water reservoirs serving the metropolitan region and organize the land occupation in the surrounding areas, thereby ensuring water supply in São Paulo, one of the largest urban areas in the world",

Serra explained that "These international loans were possible thanks to a combination of virtuous factors: The State of São Paulo has its own economy in order and has a sound fiscal management which allows us to maintain investment despite a tax collection decline, as it is currently happening. Therefore, priority projects for job creation and maintenance and for social and economic development can continue quickly, improving the lives of all." He emphasized and informed that "The Government of the State of São Paulo is also working with the World Bank to finance trains and new lines for the subway and commuter rail network of the São Paulo Metropolitan Train Company (CPTM) as well as on other programs for water treatment and rational water use throughout the state, a total financing amount that exceeds the US$ 2.5 billion."

São Paulo is the main engine of economic activity in Brazil so it is key to ensure that economic, social and sustainable growth is continues in spite of the global financial crisis.

The Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP) alone, houses 19.3 million people in 39 municipalities covering 8,050 km² and accounts for 17 percent of national GDP and 10 percent of the population. It serves as an example of the country’s diverse type of challenges in terms of providing quality urban services, land use distribution and management as well as mobility.

"The Bank is proud to be able to contribute through these programs to tackle urgent challenges for São Paulo’s competitiveness and economic growth, and its social and environmental sustainability," said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Director for Brazil.

The São Paulo State Feeder Road Project

By supporting one of the Government major programs of investment, the Pro-Vicinais which aims at rehabilitating up to 12,000 km of municipal roads, the State Feeder Road Project will contribute to improve the overall efficiency of the road transport system in São Paulo, which, in turn, is expected to support a more sustainable growth in the State. It will contribute both to improve the conditions of the paved road network and will support institutional strengthening of the State administration to help further rationalize investment programs, environmental management, transport and logistics as well as road programs executions.

"Transport and logistics are integral for the development of the economy of the State of São Paulo. The project will improve transport conditions for users state-wide, thereby improving accessibility, reducing logistic costs and enhancing traffic safety. It will also support activities which aim to strengthen the State administration and will contribute to sustainability in terms of the actions undertaken in transport, environment and planning activities,.” said Eric Lancelot, World Bank Acting Project Manager.

Key points to be addressed by the project include:

Feeder Road Rehabilitation – improving the condition of the existing paved feeder roads by undertaking a large program of rehabilitation of the infrastructure, built over the past 25 years, including pavement drainage and signalization.

Institutional Strengthening - improving the State capacity in terms of investment planning, environmental management, logistic planning and management and investment programs in the road sector.

Integrated Water Management in Metropolitan São Paulo APL Project

With low per capita water availability, the city’s potable water supply is partly imported from neighboring river systems, which is contentious given the demands of other urban areas vying for the same water while half of the water supply comes from headwater-reservoir systems (‘mananciais’) within MRSP itself. The Integrated Water Management in Metropolitan São Paulo Project will tackle underlying causes of these problems.

"Today, water scarcity and water pollution are critical issues facing more than 20 million people living in metropolitan São Paulo, issues that other urban areas throughout Brazil are increasingly exposed to as well. Through this new project, we share with the State the concern with regard to the use of water, which is an essential element to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth and a better quality of life," said Makhtar Diop.

The project’s goals will be achieved by:

Environmental Protection and Recovery - to protect and recover natural habitats and

environmentally sensitive and degraded areas in the sub-basins of MRSP with a view to improving environmental quality, by supporting programs such as reforestation, establishment of environmentally protected areas and rehabilitation and protection of reservoirs and water production systems.

Integrated Water Supply and Sanitation – aimed at reversing the main factors that contribute to the

pollution of the reservoirs and provides integrated water supply and sanitation services to the poor, by supporting wastewater management improvements; water supply system improvements and solid waste management improvements.

Institutional Capacity Building- designed to support the executing agencies by strengthening their institutional capacity and promoting improved metropolitan management and coordination with regard to the key metropolitan challenges of water resources management.

Urban Upgrading - aims to improve the standards and layouts of urban occupation in the targeted areas and to improve the quality of life of the residents of these areas, especially the low-income communities living in informal settlements, due to the urbanization of slums and squatter settlements.

"The water challenges facing São Paulo are complex and the responses involve state and municipal

players and the numerous sectors that need to be mobilized in order that the nexus of land-use, urban poverty and informality, local and trunk infrastructure, and water quality issues can be addressed simultaneously. We very much look forward to continuing our rich partnership with the state government and the state water utility, SABESP, during the implementation of the Mananciais Program." said Martin Gambrill, World Bank Project Manager.

For more information on the "Integrated Water Management in Metropolitan São Paulo", please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P006553

For more information on the "São Paulo Feeder Roads Project", please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P106663

For more information on the World Bank and Brazil, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/br

Brazil: State of Sao Paulo and Sao Paulo State Water Utility: Integrated Water Management in Metropolitan Sao Paulo

2009-07-09T22:20:14.000Z

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

IBRD Loan: US$130 million

Terms: Maturity = 30 years; Grace Period = 5 years (GESP Loan Portion)

Terms: Maturity = 25 years; Grace Period = 5 years (SABESP Loan Portion)

Project ID: P006553

Project Description: The Integrated Water Management in Metropolitan Sao Paulo aims to: (i) to protect and maintain the quality and reliability of Metropolitan Region of Sao Paulo's (MRSPs) water resources and potable water sources; (ii) to improve the quality of life of the poor populations residing in key targeted urban river basins in MRSP; and (iii) to strengthen institutional capacity and improve metropolitan management and coordination in MRSP in water resources management, water pollution control, land-use policy and basic service provision.

Media Contact

Stevan Jackson

(202) 458-5054

sjackson@worldbank.org

For more project information, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P006553

Brazil: State of Sao Paulo: Sao Paulo State Feeder Roads Project

2009-07-09T22:19:04.000Z

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

IBRD Loan: US$166.65 million

Terms: Maturity = 30 years; Grace Period = 5 years

Project ID: P106663

Project Description: The Sao Paulo Feeder Roads Project in Brazil aims to improve the efficiency of the paved municipal road network. There are two components to the project. The first component of the project is feeder road rehabilitation. This component will provide financing for eligible civil works contracts under phase three of the pro-neighbourhood program, as well as possibly, depending on borrower's requests, the timing of loan effectiveness and conclusion of civil works under phases one and phase two, for a few eligible civil works contracts under these phases. The second component of the project is institutional strengthening. The project will support, through provision of equipment, training and consulting services, and the Secretariat's objective to improve its capacity to provide incentives for accelerating the undertaking of investments defined as priority by the state in its 2008-2011 multi-year expenditure program.

Media Contact

Stevan Jackson

(202) 458-5054

sjackson@worldbank.org

For more project information, please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64312881&piPK=64302848&theSitePK=40941&Projectid=P106663

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Brazil: State of Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro Mass Transit 2 Project

2009-07-09T22:17:45.000Z

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

IBRD Loan: US$211.7 million

Terms: Maturity =24.5 years; Grace Period = 7 years

Project ID: P111996

Project Description: The Rio de Janeiro Mass Transit Project for Brazil aims to: a) improve the level-of-service provided to the suburban rail transport users in Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region (RJMR) in a safe and cost-efficient manner; and b) to improve the transport management and policy framework in the RJMR.

Media Contact

Stevan Jackson

(202) 458-5054

sjackson@worldbank.org

For more project information, please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P111996

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

WB/Brazil: U$M 211.7 to improve Suburban Rail Transportation in Rio de Janeiro

2009-07-09T21:51:34.000Z

Contacts:

In Brasilia – Denise Marinho (+55-61) 3329-1099

dmarinho@worldbank.org

In Washington – Gabriela Aguilar (+1 202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2009 - The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today a US$211.7 million loan to the Rio de Janeiro Mass Transit 2 Project to improve the level of service provided by the suburban rail transportation system in the metropolitan region of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

The Rio de Janeiro Mass Transit 2 Project continues a long partnership between the State of Rio de Janeiro and the World Bank in the urban transport sector that dates back to more than 15 years ago, when the Brazilian Federal Government initiated the decentralization of the federally-owned and operated suburban rail system “Brazilian Urban Train Company” (CBTU, in its acronym in Portuguese).

“This new project will help the State of Rio de Janeiro to strengthen and modernize its rail-based transport system, with investments in trains which will improve the quality of service offered to the users. We are proud to be part of this new chapter of the State’s development.” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Director for Brazil.

The project will be:

 Purchasing at least thirty trains of four cars each and accessories for a total of at least 120 cars to be operated by the concessionaire under legal terms contracts on the lines of the Central’s System

 Providing technical assistance to the State Secretary of Transport (Setrans) for carrying out studies on policy development, including fare integration, regional coordination, and updating the current integrated transport policy, land use and air quality management master plan (PDTU).

The Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region (RJMR), with 546,865 ha. and 11.3 million inhabitants spread irregularly, is dominated by the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro (MRJ) with 5.7 million inhabitants. Roughly 76% o f the population in RJMR lives in 15% of its territory. MRJ alone has 56% o f the population o f the State of Rio de Janeiro (SRJ) and 77% o f the income of RJMR. MRJ generates roughly 85% of SRJ’s income and 4.5 million jobs.

In Rio de Janeiro, as in any important metropolitan region of the country, providing accessible and affordable urban transport services is pivotal to promote sustainable development and represents a vital contribution to better quality of life and opening opportunities for all citizens. Low-income users are the most affected by poor public transportation services because they have few options and spend a considerable portion of their income on transport services.

"With this project, the State of Rio de Janeiro is taking a major step forward to transform the suburban rail system into a real surface metro system that will particularly benefit low-income users in western zone (Zona Oeste) and in the peripheral municipalities (Baixada Fluminense) of the metropolitan region "said Jorge Rebelo, Manager of World Bank Project

This variable-spread loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro is guaranteed by the Federative Republic of Brazil and has a total term of 24.5 years, including 7 years of grace.

For more information on this project, please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P111996

For more information on the World Bank and Brazil, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/br

WB/Brazil: US$8.10 Million as Part of a US$ 66 Million Loan to the State of Rio Grande do Sul

2009-07-09T14:01:29.000Z

Contacts:

In Brasilia – Denise Marinho (+55-61) 3329-1099

dmarinho@worldbank.org

In Washington – Gabriela Aguilar (+1 202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, July 7, 2009 – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today a US$8.10 million loan to the city of Rio Grande, in Brazil’s southern State of Rio Grande do Sul, aiming to promote sustainable growth, income and job creation and the provision of infrastructure services to this key hub-city in Southern Brazil.

This is the fifth loan of the Rio Grande do Sul Integrated Municipal Development Program (PDMI, in its acronym in Portuguese) which totals up to US$ 66 million for Bagé, Pelotas, Rio Grande, Santa Maria and Uruguaiana, the five largest cities in the southern half of the State. The first loan, to Pelotas, was approved in January 2008, and loans to Bagé and Uruguaiana were approved in July, 2008. The fourth loan, to Santa Maria, was approved in December, 2008.

“This project with the World Bank represents a new impetus to our city of Rio Grande, because we will be able to pursue economic development and meet the demand of the community with major infrastructure works”, said Rio Grande’s Mayor, Fábio de Oliveira Branco.

Rio Grande is the oldest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and the site of the southern Brazil’s largest port, an important gateway for Brazil’s exports and the Mercado Comun del Sur (Mercosur) markets. Rio Grande’s total population reaches 192,195 inhabitants and nearly 96% of them live in urban area, concentrated in an area equivalent of less than 2% of municipal territory. With an area of 2,814 km2, Rio Grande accounts for about 1% of the total area of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, but stands out as an important hub-city. Municipal GDP adds up to almost US$ 1.5 billion, of which 64.7% is generated by industry, 32% from services and 2.8% from agriculture. Among the main industrial activities are oil refinery, fertilizers and soy bean processing. In addition, the city’s service sector is strongly influenced by the port and its freight terminal.

“Rio Grande is a dynamic economic pole for the State and for Mercosur markets. The PDMI project provides the Municipality with the appropriate tools to tackle the most urgent problems resulting from the rapid and uncontrolled urban growth, by strengthening municipal capacity to generate income and jobs, while improving urban infrastructure services important for social and economic sustainable development”, Makhtar Diop, World Bank Director for Brazil said.

Although the per capita GDP is higher than the State’s average, municipal growth pattern has been raising concerns. Unemployment combined with fragile small and medium enterprises sectors and a high informality rate are challenges to be carefully addressed by the city’s sustainable development strategy.

Rio Grande shows also potential to develop a strong tourism sector, as it has one of the world’s largest oceanic beach and a famous ecological reserve.

The Rio Grande project has three basic components:

Ø Improve Municipal Governance - to more effectively execute its programs and implement and integrate the appraisal, fiduciary, environmental and social procedures of the PDMI.

Ø Create income and employment opportunities through the preparation of a sustainable long-term local economic development strategy, improvement of the Municipality’s business environment; and preparation of a strategy for the development of the tourism sector.

Ø Improving territorial infrastructure - Especially improve urban roads and drainage services, and prepare a plan for the environmental rehabilitation, resettlement and socio-economic integration o f the Henrique Pancada community, located at the margins of the Lagoa dos Patos, through an active participation of the community.

“By strengthening the institutional capacity of the municipal government, supporting infrastructure investment and promoting employment in Rio Grande, the cumulative impact of the PDMI program is also expected to have a positive spill-over effect on economic development to other municipalities in the southern half of the state”, said Juliana Garrido, World Bank Project Manager.

This fixed-spread loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to the Municipality of Rio Grande is guaranteed by the Federative Republic of Brazil and has a total term of 17 years, including 3 years of grace.

For more information on this project, please click here.

The project Rio Grande - RS Integrated Municipal Development Program is now in the pipeline.

2009-04-30T04:00:00.000Z

The project Rio Grande - RS Integrated Municipal Development Program is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Rio Grande Do Sul Integrated Municipal Development Program Project for Brazil is to strengthen the capacity of the municipalities of Bage, Pelotas, Rio Grande, Santa Maria, and Uruguaiana to provide selected infrastructure services and employment opportunities for their population. There are three components to the project. The first component of the project is municipal strengthening. The purpose of this component is to finance activities related to improving municipal capacity to plan, appraise, finance, implement, monitor and evaluate infrastructure, and local economic development investments. Introducing World Bank project implementation, fiduciary, social, and environmental practices are meant to strengthen municipal capacity in these areas and standardize procedures across all relevant secretariats of the municipal government. The second component of the project is income and employment generation. This component will support municipal initiatives to generate income and employment opportunities, in addition to improving the quality of jobs in both urban and rural areas. The third component of the project is infrastructure service improvements. This component's objective will be to assist the municipalities improve their ability to provide infrastructure services in an efficient, environmentally sound, and sustainable manner. The specific investments were also prioritized for their effects on improving access to services by the poor, contributing to the municipal growth agenda and/or for environmental benefits.

Brazil State of the Cities Report Proposal Approved by Cities Alliance

2009-04-29T17:30:00.000Z

Contacts:

In Washington DC: Chii Akporji – (202) 473 1935 or email cakporji@citiesalliance.org

In São Paulo: Giorgio Romano Schutte – 55 11 3474 9401 or email gschutte@citiesalliance.org

Washington, April 29, 2009 - The Cities Alliance has approved a proposal to co-finance a Brazil State of the Cities Report which will provide an analysis of the living conditions of a sample of 400 Brazilian municipalities out of total of more than 5500.

Brazil has urbanized rapidly over the past few decades. According to a 2000 census, over 80 percent of the population lives in urban areas. However, much of this urbanization has been unequal; population has grown around state capitals and neighboring municipalities of larger metropolitan areas, while other regions have experienced negative growth rates. The result has been pockets of poverty with increased social exclusion and environmental hazards.

A State of the Cities report will provide the opportunity to analyze the country’s socially diverse urban areas and identify issues for public debate that can be used to reinforce the national urban agenda and policy strategies set by local authorities. “In Brazil we are faced with several challenges concerning municipal development, together with other key actors,” said Paulo Ziulkoski, President of the National Confederation of Municipalities (CNM). “This project with the Cities Alliance responds to this demand. At the same time, the outcome can be shared with other countries, reinforcing the importance of the decentralization process all around the world.”

After formalizing the approval, Cities Alliance Manager William Cobbett noted that “This has the potential to be an internationally significant report, given the pioneering role of Brazilian cities, and their role in promoting social justice and economic growth”.

The project will be implemented in three phases over an 18-month period. Each phase will last six months. The first phase will identify the sampling criteria for the selected municipalities. During the second phase, a team of technicians and consultants will evaluate the cities. The final phase will focus on writing and disseminating the report.

Four key elements of the living conditions of municipalities will be analyzed in the report:

Local economic development and the distribution of wealth
The provision of infrastructure and public services
The funding of city development
Public management policies

At the conclusion of the report, it is expected that the following organizations will receive the outcomes listed below:

· Mayors’ offices and local governments of the selected municipalities: Technical input needed to support their demands in the National Congress, the Federal Government and other regional and State associations.

· Federal Government: The inputs necessary to improve existing urban policies and to help formulate a National Urban Development Policy.

· NGOs and research/professional institutes: Inputs required for the drafting of action programmes and for follow-up research agendas.

The State of the Cities Report proposal was submitted by three Brazilian municipal organizations: the Brazilian Association of Municipalities (ABM), the National Confederation of Municipalities, and the National Mayor’s Front (FNP). It was jointly sponsored by Caixa, the Brazilian Ministry of Cities and the World Bank. It also received the support of IADB, an active player in the urban sector in Brazil.

Other urban research and support institutions will be invited to join the initiative. The project execution will be coordinated by the Polis Institute, based in São Paulo.

About Cities Alliance:

Cities Alliance is a global partnership of cities and their development partners working to improve the living conditions of urban poor through successful approaches to city development strategies, scaling-up slum upgrading, and sustainable financing strategies. It is managed by a Secretariat located at the World Bank in Washington.

The project AIDS-SUS (National AIDS Program - National Health Service) is now in the pipeline.

2009-04-22T04:00:00.000Z

The project AIDS-SUS (National AIDS Program - National Health Service) is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Brazil: Education Results and Accountability Project

2009-04-14T23:38:11.000Z

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2009 - The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved the following project:

IBRD Loan: US$154 million

TERMS: Maturity = 15 years; Grace period = 5 years

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project will (a) improve the quality, efficiency and equity of public education in Pernambuco; and (b) introduce management reforms that will lead to greater efficiency in the use of the Pernambuco State’s public resources in the education sector, all through interventions in the State Secretariat of Planning and Management (SEPLAG), State Secretariat of Education (SEE), and State Secretariat of Administration (SAD).

Media Contact

Gabriela Aguilar

(202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

For more project information, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P106208

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Brazil: US$154 million Loan to Improve Quality, Efficiency and Equity of Public Education in Pernambuco State

2009-04-14T23:22:56.000Z

Contacts:

In Brasília – Denise Marinho (+55-61) 3329-1099

dmarinho@worldbank.org

In Washington – Gabriela Aguilar (+1 202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2009 – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$154 million loan to the Northeastern Brazilian State of Pernambuco for the Pernambuco Education Results and Accountability (PERA) Project to improve public education and introduce management reforms linking public expenditures to improved educational results.

"The Government of Pernambuco has been working to raise public education standards in the State. To this aim, we have increased investments in infrastructure and in the quality of public management. This new program will give us the tools to carry out the challenging task of providing quality education to our children and our youth. In the midst of an adverse scenario of international financial crisis, Pernambuco continues to create jobs and opportunities, and our people must be prepared to seize opportunities as they arise," said Pernambuco Governor Eduardo Campos.

The PERA Project will foster a new growth agenda for the State, focusing on two interconnected strategies:

Building human capital to increase opportunities for the poorest, improving the qualifications and competitiveness of the work force; and
Improving efficiency in the use of public resources and the quality of services to increase access and affordability.

"This partnership with the World Bank is of fundamental relevance to our work at the Education Secretariat of Pernambuco. With the approval of this loan, we will be able to further strengthen our work in programs to improve literacy and to correct age-grade distortion as well as to improve school infrastructure and our student assessment system. Our aim is to raise the educational indicators of the State, achieving results and targets already set by this Government," said Pernambuco Secretary of Education Danilo Cabral.

The program will address educational priorities by leveraging funds and mobilizing programs through disbursements associated to pre-identified Eligible Expenditure Programs (EEPs) in education and technical assistance. The World Bank loan will finance US$150 million in education sector investments and US$4 million for technical assistance.

"Among the project's aims are ensuring that children become literate early, reducing age-grade distortion in basic education and strengthening monitoring and evaluation, which is a pillar of the results-based management approach the State envisaged for the sector,” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Country Director for Brazil. "This new project will contribute to public sector modernization, through an improved performance of State expenditure management systems, including oversight, and introducing reforms in related priority governance areas,” he added.

Key education and public sector management areas to be addressed by the project include:

Ø Basic Standards Program to improve school infrastructure, equipment and teacher availability and quality. It will rehabilitate and upgrade infrastructure, furniture and equipment, set up computer labs, train teachers, develop school libraries and assure the adequate number and types of teachers per classroom.

Ø Literacy Program will provide the tools for children to become literate in the early years of basic education. It will introduce a comprehensive teacher training program of literacy tutors for subsequent replication.

Ø Overage Correction Program will address age-grade distortion at the basic, fundamental and secondary education level through the implementation of the Accelerated Classes Programs in the State education.

Ø Monitoring and Evaluation will finance the enhancement and operation of the individual student monitoring system and implementation of the State’s student assessment system (SAEPE). It also will provide feedback to parents and schools to ensure accountability.

Ø General Public Sector Management will conduct studies and initiatives to better understand and reform its most critical managerial challenges.

Ø Education Sector Management Plan to develop and implement a strategic results-based management plan to increase efficiency in the education sector.

“There will be important synergies between EDUQ and the PERA, both of which respond to the Government of Pernambuco’s priorities and the State’s education sector as a whole. The objectives of both projects are aligned: PERA improves investments supported by EDUQ and deepens further efforts to tackle critical education issues,” said Ricardo Rocha Silveira, World Bank Project Manager.

Over the years, Brazil and the World Bank have developed a successful partnership in education projects at both federal and state levels. Currently, the Bank is supporting Brazil with cutting-edge research and policy development in educational quality and efficiency of expenditures. Assistance includes the ongoing EDUQ, already implemented in Pernambuco and providing a better understanding of the state’s education sector and public management issues in the state.

Education profile in Pernambuco

Pernambuco is a poor, largely arid northeastern state in Brazil. The state’s per capita income is US$3,300, above average for the Northeast of Brazil; however the State has been lagging behind most of the Northeastern States in the education sector.

Pernambuco has one of the lowest student performance records in Brazil. Nearly 87 percent of students in the fourth grade score at an unsatisfactory level in Portuguese as measured by the results of the Prova Brasil national student assessment. In the eighth grade, 78 percent of students score at an unsatisfactory level in both Portuguese and Mathematics.

Illiteracy for various age cohorts is high, ranging from 5.3 percent for 15-19 year olds to 25.9 percent for those 25 and older. Pernambuco’s literacy rate is below the national average.

For additional information on the project, please visit:

PERA Project

For more information on the World Bank and Brazil, please visit:

http://www.worldbank.org/br

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Brazil: US$130 Million Loan to Improve Public Sector Management, Education, Health and Transport

2009-04-09T23:09:23.000Z

Contacts:

In Brasilia – Denise Marinho (+55-61) 3329-1099

dmarinho@worldbank.org

In Washington – Gabriela Aguilar (+1 202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2009 – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today a US$130 million loan for the Brazil Federal District Multisector Management Project, which will support public sector management and accountability reforms and increase the access, quality and efficiency of education, health and public transport services, especially for the low income population.

“This new partnership is part of the Government’s results management efforts in the public sector, which are structured over three pillars: modernization, decentralization and integration of public services,” said the Federal District Governor José Roberto Arruda. “By supporting and complementing the Government’s development plan, this project will improve the quality of life of the Federal District’s population, reduce inequalities among regional areas and improve our competitiveness and growth potential.”

With a population of nearly 2.5 million, the Federal District is the fourth largest city in Brazil, after São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Planned in the 1950’s for a population of up to half million in 2000, currently the District has almost six times that figure.

In addition, the population from neighboring municipalities in the states of Goiás and Minas Gerais rely heavily on services and economic and social opportunities in the District. These factors create overstressed, unmet demands for the provision of quality basic public services, mainly in education, health and mass transport. The education and health sectors employ most of the Government’s civil servants, which together with the transport sector, account for most of public expenditures.

“The Government of the Federal District has multiple and urgent demands for greater public investment, which heighten the need to address efficiency of expenditures. At the same time, the Government is undertaking results-based reforms aiming at improving the District’s competitiveness. This new project will be key for this process,” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Country Director for Brazil. “The project will leave a legacy of improved practices for more effective and efficient Government spending as a whole, not only in the target sectors.”

The project will co-finance the Government’s US$400 million Multisector Public Management Program through a US$130 million loan, to be disbursed in three years. The objective is to improve public sector administration and accountability by establishing result-based management practices and improving fiduciary oversight. It will also modernize the education system, decentralize and integrate various levels of health care and strengthen the capacity of the public transport sector. The reform’s goal will be achieved by:

Ø Adopting a shared management model that includes performance-based results strategies and incentives for schools, as well as support for early childhood and primary and secondary education.

Ø Establishing results-based management practices in the health sector.

Ø Developing the health sector managerial and clinical information system and Cartão Saúde, an electronic health card with user medical information.

Ø Extending primary health care to decrease demand pressure on emergency services and hospitals.

Ø Piloting a public-private partnership for social organization management of the Santa Maria Hospital, in one of the District’s poorest areas.

Ø Modernizing management and strengthening capacity of the Secretariat of Transport and DFTRANS to improve planning, regulation and supervision of public transportation services.

Ø Financing technical assistance and training to build capacity in the public sector.

Ø Designing and implementing cost-accounting systems in the education and health sectors.

“This is the second Bank-financed project in the Federal District, and will complement the Brasília Environmentally Sustainable Project, being successfully implemented since 2005,” said Joana Godinho, World Bank Project Manager. “The Federal District is giving a major step towards its goal of more efficient and inclusive public services. We would like to congratulate the Government for the excellent work, especially the inter-sectoral coordination that was achieved.”

For more information on this project, please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P107843

For more information on the World Bank and Brazil, please visit:

http://www.worldbank.org/br

Brazil: Federal District Multisector Public Management Project

2009-04-09T22:30:53.000Z

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

IBRD Loan: $130 Millon

Terms: Maturity = 23 years; Grace = 3 years

Project Description: The Federal District Multisector Management Project for Brazil aims to support the Government of Brazil’s development objectives for the Federal District. It will (i) improve public sector management and accountability by establishing results-based management practices and improving fiduciary oversight; and (ii) increase access, quality, and efficiency of the education, health, and public transport services by modernizing the education system; modernizing, decentralizing and integrating various levels of health care; and strengthening the institutional and operational capacity of the public transport sector.

Media Contact

Gabriela Aguilar

(202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

For more information please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P107843

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Brazil, Key Actor in Global Climate Change Solutions

2009-03-18T22:19:43.000Z

SAO PAULO, March 17, 2009 – Brazil plays a strategic role in the global fight against climate change and can contribute with some successful environmental management experiences to help other emerging and developing nations, especially on sugar cane-based ethanol production, direct sowing in agriculture, sustainable management of tropical rainforests and solid waste management, says a World Bank report.

According to the report, Brazil has one of the cleanest energy matrices in the world (more than 80 percent of its own energy production is based on renewable sources, such as hydroelectricity and liquid biofuels). Although Brazil is not responsible for global warming and recognizing that rich countries have to take the lead, the report underscores that the country can positively contribute with mitigation policies regarding avoidable deforestation.

The report, titled Low Carbon, High Growth: Latin American Responses to Climate Change (PDF), was launched today in São Paulo after the World Bank approved on March 5 a credit line for the Brazilian Government amounting to US$1.3 billion to support the country’s environmental and climate change agenda.

Biofuels and Climate Change

The report argues that Brazilian sugar-cane ethanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70-90 percent compared with gasoline, without considering land use changes. If improved fuel efficiency standards for automobiles are implemented, emissions could be reduced in as much as 25 MtCO2 annually, with substantial savings and reduced local pollution.

Biofuels account for almost six percent of the energy consumed by the region’s transportation sector, led by the production and consumption of ethanol in Brazil.

Compared to maize-based ethanol production in other countries, sugar-cane ethanol produced in Brazil did not lead to higher food commodity prices in 1998/2007 as a result of diverting agricultural lands to other uses.

In Brazil, the yield of sugar cane-ethanol per hectare is almost twice the yield of maize-based ethanol in the US. However, Brazilian ethanol potential is restricted by current import tariffs enforced in the USA and other high income countries. According to the study, reducing or eliminating high trade tariffs and huge subsidies currently applied by many countries would result in economic benefits for Brazil and its trade partners, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Renewable Energy Potential

The region has a significant potential for renewable energy generation, says the report. Many Latin American countries feature excellent wind conditions and high levels of solar radiation, such as Brazil’s northwest.

“But the Region’s highest potential in renewable energy sources lies undoubtedly in hydroelectricity,” says Augusto de la Torre, World Bank’s Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean and one of the report’s authors, together with John Nash and Pablo Fajnzylber. De la Torre stressed that Brazil’s potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at negative costs with the implementation of hydroelectric projects amounts to 18 MtCO2e annually.

Brazil has been highly successful in the development of a large hydroelectric generation potential at low cost, but the implementation of new projects has been held up due to delays in obtaining environmental permits. The cost of handling environmental and social issues in the development of hydroelectric projects in Brazil amounts to about 12 percent of the total Project cost, warns the Report.

Emission patterns

The paper says that six countries account for about 85 percent of the region’s emissions, with Brazil and Mexico producing almost 60 percent of the total, while Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela account for another 25 percent.

In five countries —Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru— land use changes generate at least 60 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, the potential of Brazil’s mitigation policies lie in agriculture and in the sound management forestry resources, says the study.

“The continuous warming of the regional climate system is a reality,” said de la Torre. “But instead of being part of the problem, Brazil is above all part of the solution.”

The region’s temperature has increased by 1° C during the 20th century, while sea levels have risen by 2-3 mm/year since the 1980s. If current trends are kept, temperatures will rise in the region by 0.4° C and 1.8° C by 2020, and between 1° C and 4° C by 2050.

The Amazon and climate change

The report warns that between 20-80 percent of the Amazon basin could be lost due climate impacts caused by a 2°-3° C temperature increase. In 2005, large areas of the southwest Amazon region experimented one of the most intensive droughts in the past 100 years, severely impacting the population, the Amazon’s riverbed and its western and south-western tributaries.

The Amazon jungle plays a fundamental role in the climate system, says the report. It helps to drive the atmospheric circulation in the tropics by absorbing energy and recycling about half of rainfall. The region contains almost 10 percent of the global reserve of carbon stored in terrestrial ecosystems. Humidity injected by the Amazonian ecosystem into the atmosphere also plays a critical role in the region’s rainfall pattern. Any disruption in its humidity volumes could trigger a desertification process in large areas of Latin America, and even in North America.

The study also points to the likelihood of large biodiversity extinctions as a result of Amazon deforestation. Five out of the 10 most biodiverse countries are located in Latin America and the Caribbean —Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru— and this list also includes five of the 15 countries whose fauna is facing the highest extinction threats.

“Brazil houses 33 percent of the world’s total tropical rainforest reserves and the largest reservoir of freshwater. Its ecosystems are crucial for human quality of living, as an important part of its economy depends on the use of natural resources to create productive inputs,” said Fajnzylber.

Towards low-carbon growth

According to the expert, Brazil is in a good position to adapt its own growth and poverty reduction strategies in order to minimize the negative impacts of climate change on its population and ecosystems. “Also, in the ongoing international talks, Brazil may drive new climate change policies that are in line with the characteristics of Latin America and the Caribbean by taking a leading role in the negotiation of a post-Kyoto agreement and in its subsequent implementation,” added Fajnzylber.

The report “Low Carbon, High Growth: Latin American Responses to Climate Change,” (PDF) is the flagship publication of the World Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean in 2009.

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For more information about the Report, please visit:
http://www.worldbank.org/lac

Related news:

World Bank Approves US$1.3 Billion to Support Brazil’s Environmental and Climate Change Agenda

Brazil: Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM) Development Policy Loan (DPL) 1

2009-03-05T23:07:22.000Z

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2009 - The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IBRD LOAN: US$1.3 billion

TERMS: Maturity = 30 years; Grace period = 5.5 years

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The SEM DPL is the first operation in a planned series of two loans which would span the period 2008-2010 and aim to support the GOB’s efforts to (i) improve the effectiveness and efficiency of policies and guidelines of the Brazilian environmental management system; and, (ii) further integrate principles of environmentally sustainable development in the development agenda of key sectors. The SEM DPL will also treat climate change concerns at both the inter-sectoral level and within the targeted sectors (natural resources, water, sanitation, and energy).

Media Contact

Gabriela Aguilar

(202) 473-6768

gaguilar@worldbank.org

For more information on this project visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P095205

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

World Bank Approves US$1.3 Billion to Support Brazil’s Environmental and Climate Change Agenda

2009-03-05T19:19:34.000Z

Contacts:

In Brasilia – Mauro Azeredo (+55-61) 3329-1059

mazeredo@worldbank.org

In Washington – Gabriela Aguilar (+1 202) 473-6768

gaguilar2@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2009 – The World Bank Board of Directors approved today a US$1.3 billion loan to Brazil for the First Programmatic Development Policy Loan for Sustainable Environmental Management, supporting Brazil’s ongoing efforts to improve its environmental management system and integrate sustainability concerns in the development agenda of key sectors such as forest management, water and renewable energy. The initiative will also integrate Brazil’s climate change agenda across sectors.

“The Brazilian government has been working strongly towards the development and implementation of public policies that address sustainable development so that economic growth occurs without loss to our rich biodiversity,” said Guido Mantega, Minister of Finance. “This requires a commitment from all levels of government, whether federal, state or municipal, paying special attention to social programs, many of which include programs for sustainable growth,” he added. “In this context, the set of institutional reforms and policies laid down in the Multiyear Plan (PPA) and the Growth Acceleration Plan (PAC) is essential to ensure that Brazil achieve economic growth, preserve the environment and become a socially just nation.”

In few countries is the ecosystem as crucial to development and people's welfare as in Brazil. The country has one-third of the world’s tropical rain forests, the largest reservoir of fresh water (20 percent), one of the longest coastlines (more than 8,500 km), and savanna with the greatest biodiversity in the world. A significant part of Brazil’s economy relies on the use of natural resources for production inputs. Due to the importance of its natural resource base, Brazil faces major challenges to strengthen the sustainable use of its natural resources.

Key environmental issues in Brazil to be addressed by the program include:

Deforestation from unsustainable use of natural resources in the Amazon rainforest;
Conservation of the remaining Atlantic Forest, water quality and availability; and
Increased energy demand, straining Brazil’s clean energy matrix.

“The social and economic cost of environmental destruction is high. Smooth coordination of policies and procedures within the Brazilian environmental management system, combined with an increased commitment from the financial sector to long-term sustainability, is key to guaranteeing that specific actions and investments in the area can achieve the best possible results, ensuring growth that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive,” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank Country Director for Brazil.

The program supports Brazil’s commitment to better environmental and poverty outcomes while implementing a model of accelerated competitiveness and growth. This will be done by emphasizing incentives, such as efforts to increase the value of standing forests, and economic instruments, such as increasing the environmental profile of development finance facilities as integral parts of the Government’s environmental management strategy. This will promote the sustainable management of agricultural lands, forests and water resources; reduce deforestation in the Amazon; reduce the environmental degradation of land, water and other resources which are key determinants of the well-being of the poor; and promote renewable energy.

Amazon Deforestation: Policies Matter

The Amazon Forest has lost 19,000 km² per year over the past 30 years. This is due to a combination of economic forces, poor agricultural practices, weak property rights, and poor enforcement of regulations. Deforestation affects the climate, soil erosion, and biodiversity. Seventy percent of Brazil’s CO₂ emissions come from deforestation and change of land use.

Improved policies, when backed by enforcement and economic incentives, are an effective way to control the complex social and economic forces behind deforestation. For example, requiring banks to follow environmental law and integrating environmental and social considerations into investment plans provides a potent incentive for compliance.

The policies and reforms supported by this operation are expected to have very positive social impacts. Specifically, the Public Forest Management law and other reforms supported by this operation give local communities preferential treatment regarding forest concessions, and should reduce unsustainable agricultural and logging practices and land grabbing. The program’s support for the National Water Quality Evaluation Program is expected to significantly increase water resources for the poor, as they are disproportionately affected by water pollution. Other reforms will increase access to water and sanitation services and boost the social and sustainable investment policies of BNDES, Brazil’s national development bank.

“The new program builds on the good work previously achieved by Brazil, which also includes financial and analytical support from the Bank and other partners. This was a complex multi-partner effort in the Government and all involved Ministries must be congratulated for it,” said Mark Lundell, World Bank Project Manager. “The program will also be a fundamental complement to the work being done under the Bank’s new Amazon Framework, which seeks to support Brazil’s efforts to reconcile development and conservation in the Amazon.”

This Programmatic Sustainable Environmental Management Development Policy Loan (SEM DPL) is the first operation in a series of two loans which span the period 2008-2010. This first loan would be disbursed in two tranches: the first upon effectiveness in a total amount of US$800 million, and the second, totaling US$500 million, upon fulfillment of the projects goals, stipulated by the Government of Brazil. The second loan is expected to be negotiated in the fourth quarter of 2009. The program includes a web-based monitoring system, open to the public, ensuring transparency and enabling social participation.

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Additional details about the project can be found the following address:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P095205

For more information on the World Bank and Brazil, please visit:

http://www.worldbank.org/br

Brazil: Espirito Santo Water and Coastal Pollution Management Project [Additional Financing]

2009-02-24T23:03:25.000Z

WASHINGTON, February 24, 2009 - The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IBRD Loan: US$71.5 million

TERMS: Maturity = 30 years; Grace = 3 years

Project Description: The Espirito Santo Water and Coastal Pollution Management Project aims to enable the beneficiaries in the project area to benefit from improved quality of and access to water supply and sewerage services. Specifically it aims (a) to improve the efficiency of the water supply and sewerage systems of State Water Company of Espírito Santo (CESAN) by supporting its efforts to operate on a commercial basis with financial self-sufficiency; (b) to increase the coverage level of CESAN’s water supply and basic sanitation services (sewage collection, treatment and disposal) in the urban areas of the municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Grande Vitória; and (c) to provide appropriate water and sanitation infrastructure in low-income urban areas of the municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Grande Vitória.

Media Contact

Gabriela Aguilar

(202) 473-6768

gaguilar@worldbank.org

For more information on this project visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P102818

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Brazil: Ceara Regional Economic Development Project

2009-02-24T23:01:46.000Z

WASHINGTON, February 24, 2009 - The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:

IBRD Loan: US$46 million

TERMS: Maturity = 25 years; Grace= 10 years

Project Description: The Ceara Regional Economic Development Project for Brazil aims to promote economic development and improve metropolitan management for public services in the Central Cariri Region of Ceará, which includes the nine municipalities of Barbalha, Caririaçu, Crato, Farias Brito, Jardim, Juazeiro do Norte, Missão Velha, Nova Olinda, and Santana do Cariri.

Media Contact

Gabriela Aguilar

(202) 473-6768

gaguilar@worldbank.org

For more information on this project visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P099369

For more information, please visit the Projects website.