According to the Bank’s website, the objective of this project is to improve investment readiness of select infrastructure projects and strengthen institutional capacity for delivery of public investment projects.

The Project has the following three components:

• Component 1: Improving preparation and readiness of public investments, (US$62.9 million). This component aims to improve technical readiness of key infrastructure projects that have been prioritized by the Government for development in 2029-2030. It finances feasibility studies, detailed designs and strategic environmental and social studies for priority investment projects in the agriculture, energy, transport and water sectors, to significantly reduce delays observed during the execution phase and to facilitate more effective and higher quality implementation. In addition, the Component will also support the operationalization of a permanent mechanism i.e. the Pre-Investment Fund for the preparation of investments going forward.
• Component 2: Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building (US$29.6 million). This component aims to create a critical mass of trained professionals in project management, especially in the areas of procurement, financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and environmental and social risk management. The component will finance (i) training, (ii) technical assistance for the development and implementation of management information systems at Government agencies with roles and responsibilities related to investment planning, implementation and oversight, and (iii) technical assistance to develop and improve the curricula of training modules for project management, procurement, financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and environmental and social risk management at relevant learning and training institutions.
• Component 3: Project Management (US$6.5 million). This component finances project management costs, implementation of environmental and social risk management instruments, monitoring and evaluation, audits, and targeted technical assistance to support coordination and implementation of the Project.

The project’s environmental risk rating is driven by potential downstream risks associated with Type 1 and Type 2 Technical Assistance (TA) activities. The project does not finance any civil works or physical investments. The project will support feasibility studies, detailed designs, and strategic environmental studies for future investments in sectors such as agriculture, energy, transport, and water. A full list of projects is not available at Concept stage. These sectors typically involve moderate to substantial environmental risks at implementation stage, including impacts on natural habitats and biodiversity, land and water resources, pollution management, climate resilience, and cumulative effects. Inadequate integration of environmental and climate considerations at the upstream stage could therefore result in significant downstream environmental impacts. Environmental risk is further elevated by the Fragile and Conflict Affected Situation (FCV) context, high vulnerability to climate change, and limited institutional capacity for environmental risk management, which increase the likelihood that weaknesses in upstream analysis could translate into environmentally unsustainable investments.

The project’s social risk rating is Substantial, driven mostly by the downstream risks associated with the technical assistance (TA) rather than by direct project impacts, as the operation does not finance physical works. Consistent with ESF guidance for TA operations, the risk assessment focuses on the extent to which TA outputs may influence future investments with potentially significant adverse social implications. The project will support feasibility studies, designs, strategic analyses, and institutional capacity building to prepare future investments in sectors such as agriculture, energy, transport, and water. These sectors commonly involve moderate to substantial social risks at implementation stage, including potential land acquisition and involuntary resettlement, adverse impacts on livelihoods, access restrictions, risk associated with labor and working conditions, community health and safety risks(including labor influc and SEA/SH risks). Inadequate integration of social risk considerations at the planning stage could result in significant downstream social impacts. Social risks may also be heightened by the Fragile and Conflict Affected Situation (FCV) context in certain parts of the country, high poverty and vulnerability, persistent gender inequalities, and weak institutional capacity for social risk management and stakeholder engagement among the implementing agency.

Total Project Cost: US$ 100.00 million
IDA Credit (Loan Commitment): US$ 100.00 million

CONTACT POINT - World Bank

Task Team Leader: Shelley Mcmillan
Title: Lead Water Specialist
Email: smcmillan@worldbank.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

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ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF THE WORLD BANK

The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. Information on how to file a complaint and a complaint request form are available at: https://www.inspectionpanel.org/how-to-file-complaint