Early Warning System

Countries

Tunisia

Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.

Financial Institutions

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)

International, regional and national development finance institutions. Many of these banks have a public interest mission, such as poverty reduction.

Project Status

Approved

Stage of the project cycle. Stages vary by development bank and can include: pending, approval, implementation, and closed or completed.

Bank Risk Rating

Environmental and social categorization assessed by the development bank as a measure of the planned project’s environmental and social impacts. A higher risk rating may require more due diligence to limit or avoid harm to people and the environment. For example, "A" or "B" are risk categories where "A" represents the highest amount of risk. Results will include projects that specifically recorded a rating, all other projects are marked ‘U’ for "Undisclosed."

Borrower

Government of Tunisia

A public entity (government or state-owned) provided with funds or financial support to manage and/or implement a project.

Sectors

Technical Cooperation
Water and Sanitation

The service or industry focus of the investment. A project can have several sectors.

Investment Type(s)

Advisory Services

The categories of the bank investment: loan, grant, guarantee, technical assistance, advisory services, equity and fund.

Investment Amount (USD)

Not Disclosed

Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.

Primary Source

Original disclosure @ EBRD website

Updated in EWS May 31, 2022

Disclosed by Bank Mar 29, 2022

Contribute Information
Can you contribute information about this project?
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Project Description

If provided by the financial institution, the Early Warning System Team writes a short summary describing the purported development objective of the project and project components. Review the complete project documentation for a detailed description.

According to bank provided information, EBRD intends to support the Gabes Wastewater Treatment Plant Project under its PPP Preparation Window. Currently the sanitation system's coverage in the Grand Gabes region of Tunisia is approximately 90 per cent. The sanitation system is connected to an Existing WWTP built in 1995 that does not meet the minimum technical, social and environmental requirements; and its capacity and efficiency has not kept pace with the expansion of the governorate of Gabes.

In order to improve the quality of sanitation services for the inhabitants and protect the environment of the region, a new wastewater treatment and reuse system is proposed in line with Sanitation Master Plan of Gabes published by National Sanitation Office (ONAS) in 2017. The Master Plan includes a strategic objective of 100% reuse of treated wastewater for agriculture and/ or industry which is consistent with Tunisia's National Water Resources Strategy for 2030. The Project proposed by plan is to rehabilitate, reconfigure and extend the existing wastewater collection and transfer network and develop two new WWTPs in the north and south of the Wadi Gabes bypass channel i.e. the North Gabes WWTP and South Gabes WWTP, as a PPP. (Project)

The ONAS, which was setup in 1974, is a financially independent public body overseen by the Ministry of Environment. It is responsible for collecting and treating wastewater by developing and operating sanitation infrastructure. Since 1997, ONAS started developing and operating the sanitation infrastructure with the involvement of private sector by outsourcing services for three to five years under public procurement regulations. With the implementation of acts relating to the PPP contract, there is a further impetus to leverage private sector expertise and resources for developing infrastructure projects under the PPP model including this Project.

The Project aims to improve sanitation services in the Gabes region as well as overcome water availability and quality issues in the city of Gabes and its surrounding areas. It is also expected to encourage reutilisation of treated wastewater from the Project for agriculture and industrial purposes.

Investment Description

Here you can find a list of individual development financial institutions that finance the project.

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)

Contact Information

This section aims to support the local communities and local CSO to get to know which stakeholders are involved in a project with their roles and responsibilities. If available, there may be a complaint office for the respective bank which operates independently to receive and determine violations in policy and practice. Independent Accountability Mechanisms receive and respond to complaints. Most Independent Accountability Mechanisms offer two functions for addressing complaints: dispute resolution and compliance review.

*Contact information not provided at the time of disclosure*

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can request information by emailing: accessinfo@ebrd.com or by using this electronic form: https://www.ebrd.com/eform/information-request

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF EBRD

The Project Complaint Mechanism (PCM) is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the PCM, it may assess compliance with EBRD's own policies and procedures to prevent harm to the environment or communities or it may assist you in resolving the problem that led to the complaint through a dialogue with those implementing the project. Additionally, the PCM has the authority to recommend a project be suspended in the event that harm is imminent.

You can contact the PCM at: pcm@ebrd.com or you can submit a complaint online using an online form at: http://www.ebrd.com/eform/pcm/complaint_form?language=en

You can learn more about the PCM and how to file a complaint at: http://www.ebrd.com/work-with-us/project-finance/project-complaint-mechanism.html